Gripla - 01.01.1993, Page 201

SAINTS AND SINNERS
201
vóru á því, at annathvárt myndi helgi Þorláks biskups upp koma, ella
mundi þess engum auðit verða hér á íslandi.’73 The faith of the ‘wise
men’ turned out to be justified; dreams and portents led to the ex-
humation of Þorlákr’s remains in 1198, miracles were immediately
forthcoming, and he was declared a saint at the alþingi the following
year. Indeed, his success was so great that the clergy of the see of Hól-
ar (where his cult had originated) decided to acquire a patron for their
diocese as well. The remains of two former bishops were disinterred,
and the sanctity of the oldest, Jón Ögmundarson, was announced in
1200. They may not have given up in the case of the other, Björn Gils-
son, in spite of the lack of miracles; Ólafur Halldórsson has pointed
out that passages in Grœnlendinga saga and Eiríks saga rauða refer to
him in terms which suggest his holiness.74
Indeed, perusal of the bishops’ sagas reveals that although only Þor-
lákr and Jón were formally recognized as saints, Icelandic clerics were
ready to claim holiness within generous limits. Hungrvaka reports mir-
acles for nearly all the bishops of Skálholt, and Guðmundar saga bysk-
ups confirms their reputations. The saga describes a vision in which
the recipient is told that ‘biskupar yðrir ero helgir menn allir.’ Also
mentioned are the hermit Björn of Þingeyrar and Guðmundr himself:
‘man hann [Guðmundrj verða mestr upphaldsmaðr lande þesso ok
sitea eige í légra séte en Thomas erchibiskup á Englande.’75 The saga
also suggests the sanctity of a number of other individuals; when Guð-
mundr sang over the body of the nun Ketilbjörg, ‘var sú þjónusta svá
merkilig, at Gizurr [Hallsson, chieftain and deacon, who appears to
have been involved in the establishment of Þorlákr’s sanctity] váttaði
þat í tölu sinni yfir greftinum, at þeir þóttust eigi slíkan líksöng heyrt
hafa, ok virði henni til heilagleiks, er henni skyldi slíks söngs auðit
verða.’76 The bell rings by itself when the body of the boy Ingjaldr is
brought to church,77 and when the undecomposed corpse of Guð-
73 Bp I 302 / Bs II 226.
74 Grænlendinga saga: ‘bjart og ágætt, sætt og ilmað vel.’ Eiríks saga rauða: ‘og yfir
þínum ættkvíslum mun skína bjartur geisli.’ Grænland í miðaldaritum, Reykjavík, 1978,
pp. 392-94.
75 Bp I 454 / Gs I 98.
76 Stu I 146 / K I 251 / Bp I 466 / Gs I 117.
77 Bp I 443 / Gs I 79.