Gripla - 2023, Page 172

170 GRIPLA
It narrates the events leading to the death of Provost Þorvaldr Helgason in 1290.
The account follows his journey to Norway, where he encountered demonic
possession. He received temporary relief from this affliction in the Faroes Isles,
thanks to the intervention of St Magnús of Orkney and the Virgin Mary, within a
church dedicated to St Magnús. However, Þorvaldr’s condition worsened, leading
to his demise in Norway. The saga implies a connection between Þorvaldr’s fate
and his betrayal of Bishop Árni Þorláksson’s efforts for the Church’s interests
during the Staðamál.
St Magnús of Orkney plays a significant role in this narrative. The article
contends that his role aligns with the promotion of the Orkney martyr’s cult by the
Skálholt bishopric, likely during the time when Árna saga biskups was composed –
either in the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century. This promotion probably
included the crafting of Magnúss saga lengri (‘The Longer Magnúss Saga’) within the
same context. Further, the article argues that the interest in St Magnús is tied to
his association with the Church and its freedoms. This connection can be traced
back to a twelfth-century Latin Life of St Magnús, which was influenced by the
biographies of Thomas Becket, especially his martyrdom in defence of the Church.
The article also identifies echoes of the Becket corpus in Árna saga, which is
unsurprising given the saga’s subject matter and the prominence of the Canterbury
martyr within Icelandic clerical circles.
Previous research suggests that the original saga likely concluded in 1290,
eight years prior to the central character’s death. However, the exact reasons
for this ending remain uncertain. This article reveals how this seemingly
insignificant concluding episode to Árna saga biskups combines significant religious
and intellectual elements in a manner that the saga’s early audience would have
understood. This case study underscores the adaptable and allusively fertile nature
of the hagiographic tradition to address contemporary concerns.
Á G R I P
Niðurlag Árna sögu biskups og dýrkun heilags Magnúsar Orkneyjajarls
Helgisögur og kirkjupólitík á Íslandi á fyrri hluta fjórtándu aldar
Efnisorð: biskupasögur, helgisagnafræði, kirkjusaga, Árna saga biskups, dýrkun
Magnúsar Orkneyjajarls á Íslands, helgisögur um heilagan Tómas Becket
Í upphafi þessarar greinar er athyglinni beint að lokakaflanum í Árna sögu biskups,
einkum kafla 147 í nýjustu útgáfu sögunnar. Þessi kafli er aðeins varðveittur í
einni uppskrift sögunnar sem á rætur að rekja til ákveðins hluta í Reykjafjarðarbók
sem nú er glataður. Þar segir frá þeim atburðum sem leiddu til dauða Þorvalds
Helgasonar prófasts árið 1290. Greint er frá ferðalagi hans til Noregs þar sem ill
öfl náðu tökum á honum. Þegar hann kemur til Færeyja nær hann sér tímabundið