Gripla - 2019, Blaðsíða 220
GRIPLA220
ples taken from wise and cultured Antiquity that parentationes, funeral
obsequies, could be performed after a lapse of time, the author concludes
the introduction by expounding his own view that such rites in honour of
the bishop should be performed annually on a stativis feriis or “fixed holi-
day.” They would, of course, be different from the pagan rites that were
performed in direct worship of the deceased, since those suggested by
Arngrímur would be a thanksgiving to God for the great blessing bestowed
on the Icelandic church through the appointment and 56 years in office of
this instrument of religious piety and pious religiosity, religiosæ pietatis et
piæ religiositatis organum.
B. The Biography of Guðbrandur Þorláksson
I. The first part of Guðbrandur’s history deals with his ancestors and clos-
est relatives. It emphasises his noble put poor and honest ancestry. His
maternal grandfather, Jón Sigmundsson (before 1460–1520) had held the
office of lawman, the highest administrative position an Icelander could
normally attain, but was more or less ruined by a 20-year struggle with
Gottskálk Nikulásson (–1520), the penultimate Catholic Bishop of Hólar.
Guðbrandur’s father, Þorlákur Hallgrímsson (–after 1594) is described as
a poor but most pious parson, who began his career as a Catholic priest in
an insignificant parish before gradually being promoted to more attractive
posts; he was eager to imbue his fellow-men with the rudiments of the
Christian catechism recently translated into Icelandic in keeping with the
Lutheran policy of reform. Guðbrandur’s brothers and a few other close
relatives are mentioned, primarily to show the true Christian spirit of the
family and their readiness to enter into the service of God. The author re-
turns to Þorlákur Hallgrímsson to describe in more detail how the parson
and his honourable wife Helga (c. 1511–c. 1600) rejoiced in giving alms to
the poor from their limited means, thus setting an example not unlike that
of Bishop Martin of Tours (c. 317 –397/400). God rewarded Þorlákur’s
piety by endowing his sons generously with property, while Þorlákur
which were celebrated on the ninth day after the funeral. According to Arngrímur, the latter
is the origin of the festival. Solenne, solennia: solemn rite or rites; parentalia: a festival in
honour of dead relatives; Dies parentales: the days of the festival in honour of dead relatives.
Ovid. Fasti with an English Translation, ed. and trans. James George Frazer, revised by G.P.
Goold. Loeb Classical Library 253 (Cambridge, Mass. and London: Harvard University
Press, 1989), II. 543-546; 547–548.