Catholic Church in Greenland: Difference between revisions
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===Middle Ages=== |
===Middle Ages=== |
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The first diocese, titled [[Gardar, Greenland|Gardar]], was established in 1124, and Greenland had the first known churches in the western hemisphere.<ref name="profile">{{cite web | author= EWTN staff staff| year=2007| title=Country guide |format= | work=EWTN |url=http://www.ewtn.com/new_evangelization/europe/history/countries1.htm | accessdate=2011-02-28|archiveurl = http://www.ewtn.com/new_evangelization/europe/history/countries1.htm |archivedate = 2006-01-01}}</ref> At their height, there were four thousand [[Norsemen|Norse]] Catholics in two settlements.<ref name ="cat"/> Churches built in Greenland were not independent properties owned by the church, but were built on farmland given by local farmers and other chief villagers, and collected a part of the [[tithes]] given to the church and sent to the archbishop in [[Nidaros]].<ref name="collapse">{{cite book |author= Jared M. Diamond| year=2005| title=Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed |
The first diocese, titled [[Gardar, Greenland|Gardar]], was established in 1124, and Greenland had the first known churches in the western hemisphere.<ref name="profile">{{cite web | author= EWTN staff staff| year=2007| title=Country guide |format= | work=EWTN |url=http://www.ewtn.com/new_evangelization/europe/history/countries1.htm | accessdate=2011-02-28|archiveurl = http://www.ewtn.com/new_evangelization/europe/history/countries1.htm |archivedate = 2006-01-01}}</ref> At their height, there were four thousand [[Norsemen|Norse]] Catholics in two settlements.<ref name ="cat"/> Churches built in Greenland were not independent properties owned by the church, but were built on farmland given by local farmers and other chief villagers, and collected a part of the [[tithes]] given to the church and sent to the archbishop in [[Nidaros]].<ref name="collapse">{{cite book |author= Jared M. Diamond| year=2005| title=Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed |
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|publisher=Penguin Group|page=192-193|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=QyzHKSCYSmsC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false|accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> Attempts were made in nearby Scandinavian countries to take control of the local churches, and [[Norway]]s control of Greenland in 1261 may have put pressure on local churches to become independent, just as they had in Norway.<ref name="collapse"/> In 1341, the bishop of [[Bergen]] sent a representative named Ivar Bardarson, who returned to Norway with detailed lists of all church properties, which is thought by some to indicate the church was attempting to become more independent in Greenland.<ref name="collapse"/> Bishop Erik Gupson was supposedly a member of an expedition in 1121 to re-locate the eastern coast of [[North America]], which had been discovered 100 years previous.<ref name="cathex"/> Bishop Arnes in 1281 contributed to [[Peter's Pence]] and the expenses of the [[Crusades]] with [[walrus]] tusks and [[polar bear]] hides.<ref name="cathex"/><ref name="collapse"/> |
|publisher=Penguin Group|page=192-193|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=QyzHKSCYSmsC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false|accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> Attempts were made in nearby Scandinavian countries to take control of the local churches, and [[Norway]]s control of Greenland in 1261 may have put pressure on local churches to become independent, just as they had in Norway.<ref name="collapse"/> In 1341, the bishop of [[Bergen]] sent a representative named Ivar Bardarson, who returned to Norway with detailed lists of all church properties, which is thought by some to indicate the church was attempting to become more independent in Greenland.<ref name="collapse"/> Bishop Erik Gupson was supposedly a member of an expedition in 1121 to re-locate the eastern coast of [[North America]], which had been discovered 100 years previous.<ref name="cathex"/> Bishop Arnes in 1281 contributed to [[Peter's Pence]] and the expenses of the [[Crusades]] with [[walrus]] tusks and [[polar bear]] hides.<ref name="cathex"/><ref name="collapse"/> The introduction of Christianity is thought to have caused a major cultural break from the past, introducing many mainland European ideas and practices, such as the building of large churches and [[cathedral]]s, and this connection was maintained by the fact that the bishops appointed to Greenland were from [[Scandinavia]], and not locals.<ref name="collapse"/> At least till 1327, the Vatican made an official receipt of six years worth of [[tithes]] from Greenland.<ref name="collapse"/> |
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===Reformation era=== |
===Reformation era=== |
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Revision as of 22:28, 6 March 2011
The Roman Catholic Church in Greenland is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. There are very few Catholics in this overwhelmingly Protestant country. There are 50 registered Catholics and only approximately 4 native Greenlander Catholics out of a population of 57,000.[1][2] They are part of the only Catholic parish in Greenland, named Christ the King in Nuuk, the island’s capital.[2] The whole island is under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Copenhagen,Denmark.[3]
History
Catholicism was introduced to Greenland about 1000 AD. Leif Ericson, son of Eric the Red, visited Nidaros (modern Trondheim, Norway) and converted to Christianity while at the court of the Norwegian king.[2][4] He then returned to his fathers farm in Brattahlid, southern Greenland, and brought two priests sent by King Olaf Tryggvason.[2][5]
Middle Ages
The first diocese, titled Gardar, was established in 1124, and Greenland had the first known churches in the western hemisphere.[6] At their height, there were four thousand Norse Catholics in two settlements.[2] Churches built in Greenland were not independent properties owned by the church, but were built on farmland given by local farmers and other chief villagers, and collected a part of the tithes given to the church and sent to the archbishop in Nidaros.[7] Attempts were made in nearby Scandinavian countries to take control of the local churches, and Norways control of Greenland in 1261 may have put pressure on local churches to become independent, just as they had in Norway.[7] In 1341, the bishop of Bergen sent a representative named Ivar Bardarson, who returned to Norway with detailed lists of all church properties, which is thought by some to indicate the church was attempting to become more independent in Greenland.[7] Bishop Erik Gupson was supposedly a member of an expedition in 1121 to re-locate the eastern coast of North America, which had been discovered 100 years previous.[5] Bishop Arnes in 1281 contributed to Peter's Pence and the expenses of the Crusades with walrus tusks and polar bear hides.[5][7] The introduction of Christianity is thought to have caused a major cultural break from the past, introducing many mainland European ideas and practices, such as the building of large churches and cathedrals, and this connection was maintained by the fact that the bishops appointed to Greenland were from Scandinavia, and not locals.[7] At least till 1327, the Vatican made an official receipt of six years worth of tithes from Greenland.[7]
Reformation era
But around the year 1450, the Norse departed Greenland, and the church ceased to exist there.[2] In 1519, Pope Leo X named Vincent Peterson Kampe bishop of Gardar.[8] In a letter sent in that year on June 20th, Kampe was named the bishop "in titulum", and the letter also stated that the diocese itself was vacant because of "the unfaithful".[8] Also on the same date, the Pope stated that Gardar had been deprived of a bishop for 30 years.[8] It is therefore thought by some experts that the bishop was treated as the head of the diocese until 1530, and after that as just a title.[8] When he died in 1530, no further bishops were appointed to the Greenland diocese.[8] For many years, it was thought that the diocese of Gardar was not really occupied by a Catholic bishop, but was a title given to a bishop who may not actually have been in Greenland.[8] After the the last Norse colony in North America was destroyed, the Catholic Archbishop of Trondenheim, Eric Walkendorf attempted to send assistance, but to no avail. The Viking populations are thought to have been absorbed by native Eskimos and Catholicism extinguished.[4] Denmark kept Greenland sealed from the rest of the world and enforced a state religion of Lutheranism.[2]
Modern times
Greenland was part of the "Apostolic Prefecture of the Article Pole" based in Norway from 1855 to 1868. Since that time, Greenland has been part of the Danish Catholic Church hierarchy, first the Apostolic Prefecture of Copenhagen, which was raised to a Vicariate Apostolic, and later a full Catholic Diocese.[3] State enforced Lutheranism was kept in place until 1953 when religious liberty was declared.[2] The territory was under the jurisdiction of the Vicar Apostolic of Copenhagen in the early 20th century.[5] Catholic priests have been visiting Greenland since 1930, after the bishop of Copenhagen, Benedictine Theodore Suhr, received permission from the Vatican to ask permission of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate to missionize there.[6] Catholic priests have also served with the United States military as chaplains in the 20th century.[9] In the summer of 1980, the Little Sisters of Jesus established a fraternity in Nuuk with three sisters.[2][5] Since 1997, an Oblate Missionary of Mary Immaculate is the parish priest and commutes from his parish in Copenhagen, but in 2009 were replaced by a congregation from Mexico.[2]
See also
References
- ^ Patricia Lefevere (03-31-1995). "Greenland priest's unique Catholic parish". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 2011-03-03.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j Clerical Whispers staff (2007). "Greenland priest's unique Catholic parish". Clerical Whispers. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ a b Charles Bransom (01-01-2-000). "Greenland". katolsk.no. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help) - ^ a b Joseph Fischer (01-01-1907). "Pre-Colombian Discovery of America". New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2011-03-03.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help) - ^ a b c d e Catholic Encyclopedia editorial staff (1907–1912). "Greenland". Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2011-03-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date format (link) - ^ a b EWTN staff staff (2007). "Country guide". EWTN. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
{{cite web}}: Check|archiveurl=value (help) - ^ a b c d e f Jared M. Diamond (2005). Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Penguin Group. p. 192-193. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
- ^ a b c d e f Charles Bransom (01-01-2-000). "Notes on the Diocese of Gardar". katolsk.no. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help) - ^ Air Force editorial staff (03-01-1989). "CHAPLAIN (MAJOR GENERAL) JOHN P. MCDONOUGH". US Air Force. Retrieved 2011-03-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)