I & I - 2011, Qupperneq 29

29I&I
In Iceland, Christianity and paganism have
gone side by side ever since the lawsayer
Thorgeir Ljósvetningagodi announced in
Ad 1000 that Icelanders should be Chris-
tian but allowed to practice heathen tradi-
tions in secrecy. Nowhere is this ‘twist of
faith’ depicted more clearly than at Skál-
holt, an ancient bishopric and the capital
of Icelandic Christendom, where there is
a statue showing Thor, the Norse god of
thunder, and Bishop Jón Arason standing
next to each other in camaraderie. Arason,
Iceland’s last Catholic bishop, was ulti-
mately decapitated at Skálholt along with
two of his sons at the conversion to Evan-
gelism in 1550; a tragedy acknowledged
by a memorial on the bishopric’s grounds.
Located in the region of Biskupstungur
in south Iceland, Skálholt nestles between
the rivers Hvítá and Brúará. Mt. Vördufell
watches over the site, while Mt. Hestfjall
can be spotted further to the south. In
clear weather the volcano Hekla can be
seen in the distance. Skálholt is one of
Iceland’s most important historical sites
as it is the place where the country’s first
bishop, Ísleifur Gissurarson (ordained in
1056), settled half a century after the good
lawsayer’s announcement. For centuries
Skálholt served as Iceland’s capital, as well
as its cultural and spiritual center. But af-
ter the waning status of the bishopric, vol-
canic eruptions, a major earthquake and
other disasters in the late 18th century, the
episcopal see and school were transferred
to Reykjavík. However, due to its historical
significance, Skálholt reclaimed some of its
ancient glory in the mid-20th century. The
modern cathedral, inaugurated in 1963, is
well known for its works of modern art, as
well as for artifacts from previous churches
that used to stand there.
despite being such a god-fearing place,
Skálholt has had its bad luck with churches.
They’ve regularly burnt down or been de-
stroyed by earthquakes, tiny turf churches
and huge timber cathedrals alike. Currently,
a turf church is being reconstructed beside
the modern one. While the modern church
stands on the grounds of the churches
that came before it, the turf church stands
where there used to be an outhouse; the
two buildings were connected by under-
ground tunnels. An archeological excava-
tion at Skálholt is ongoing, with new dis-
coveries regularly being made. The most
significant discovery to date at Skálholt—
and possibly in all of Iceland—is the sar-
cophagus of Bishop Páll Jónsson (bishop
1195-1211) unearthed in 1954. Recently a mu-
seum opened on the grounds, displaying
interesting artifacts from the Skálholt exca-
vations and other objects significant to the
bishopric. A copy of the first Icelandic Bible
Gudbrandsbiblía (printed at Iceland’s other
bishopric, Hólar in north Iceland, in 1584) is
also preserved at Skálholt. skalholt.is.
By Eygló Svala Arnarsdóttir.
twist oF FAitH
Skálholt, Iceland’s Capital of Christendom,
also gives a nod towards paganism.
P
ho
to
s
th
is
p
ag
e
b
y
E
yg
ló
S
va
la
A
rn
ar
sd
ó
tt
ir.
A rapeseed field.
At Skálholt, Thor,
the Norse god of
thunder, and Bishop
Jón Arason stand
next to each other in
camaraderie.