Saint Olaf of Norway Silk Screen Icon – Gold & Engraved Wood

Description

Saint Olaf, also known as Olaf II Haraldsson, was a Norwegian king from 1015-1028 AD. He was from a noble family which descended from Norwegian King Harald I Fairhair, also known as the first King of Norway. Saint Olaf was raised to be a Norse pagan, eventually becoming a Viking and fighting the English in 1009-11 before fighting with the English against the Danes.

In 1013, while fighting as a Viking warrior, Saint Olaf travelled to France where he was baptized as a Christian in Rouen. Two years later he returned home to Norway and by 1016 he had taken land from Denmark and Sweden and had managed to expand his rule to the entirety of Norway. From 1016 to 1028, Saint Olaf worked diligently to bring Christianity to Norway, bringing missionaries to spread the word of God to his countrymen. In 1024, Saint Olaf and Bishop Grimkell released a religious charter, which marks the start of the Church of Norway.

In 1028, Saint Olaf was forced to flee from Norway when Canute – the son of a king of Sweden – gained popularity amongst the chieftains and earls of Norway. Saint Olaf stayed in Russia for two years before attempting to re-take Norwegian rule in 1030. However, the Norwegian and Danish armies were against him, ultimately leading to his death in 1030. He was canonized by the church in 1031, which led to widespread interest in Saint Olaf and Christianity throughout Norway. Saint Olaf is commemorated on July 29 by the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church and is the patron saint of Norway.