While Christianity suffered such great losses in Asia and Africa, it was
spread by faithful workers over the whole of Europe. A monk by the name
of Ansgar, afterward called Saint Ansgar, came from Germany to Denmark
in 826, and labored there and in Sweden for the introduction of
Christianity for forty years, surrounded by many dangers. He has been
called the Apostle of the North. It took, however, a long time before
Christianity was firmly established in these countries. In olden times
the people of Norway, as well as of Denmark and Sweden, were heathens;
their gods were called Asas. But at the time when Christianity reached
Norway, the faith in Odin and Thor was not very firm. Many believed in
nothing but their own strength. It is thus told about King Harald the
Fairhaired, that he placed no trust in the Asas, but “believed in that
god who was the strongest, and had made all and ruled over all.” The
Northmen who first heard anything about Christ were Vikings, who sailed
west and south on their robbing expeditions. Some of these were
baptized, many only in order to receive the presents that were given
those who were baptized. But such Christianity as this had no power, and
we hear nothing of any efforts on their part to spread it when they came
home. The Norse chief, Helge the Lean, who had been brought up in
Ireland in the Christian faith, and later resided in Iceland, continued
in his faith in Christ; but when he was on the sea or in danger he
turned to Thor.
Haakon the Good, who in England had been brought up in the Christian
faith, wished to introduce it into Norway, when he was made king. He
even got some priests from England and built some churches; but the
people of Trondhjem opposed his efforts, and Haakon himself was forced
to sacrifice to the gods.
Haakon the Earl was the last heathen ruler of Norway. He believed so
strongly in the power of the old gods that during the battle with the
Jomsvikings he sacrificed his own son to obtain victory. In an
insurrection he was killed by his own slave, and Olav Trygveson became
king. He had accepted Christianity during one of his sea expeditions,
and had been baptized. He was zealous for the progress of the faith, and
traveled through the country to Christianize the people. Where this
could not be accomplished with leniency, force was employed. Several who
resisted baptism were tortured to death. He introduced Christianity in
Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, but did not reign long enough
over Norway to accomplish his purpose there. When he had reigned five
years, he fell in the battle at Svolder, in the year 1000.
Olav Haraldson, afterwards known as Saint Olav, introduced Christianity
throughout Norway. On one of his Viking expeditions he had been
converted and baptized. He was of an earnest character, and Christianity
made a deep impression on his mind. He resolved to Christianize the
whole country, and for that reason went from one district to another,
building churches and installing priests.
According to the custom of the times he often employed cruel means. The
people were provoked and rose in rebellion, and Olav fled to Gardarike,
or Russia. From thence he returned after a time with an army, and
treated the people with great kindness, but they met him with a superior
force at Stiklestad, where Olav was killed after a great slaughter, in
the year 1030. He had then been king for about sixteen years.--Miracles
were soon reported to have been wrought by his corpse, and after a few
years he was canonized as a saint. His bones were put in a shrine, which
afterwards was placed on the altar of the cathedral at Trondhjem, where
they remained until the time of the Reformation. Pilgrimages were made
to this relic from far and near; pilgrimages belonged to the
superstitions of the times.