Gladeflower
May 30th, 2010, 11:06 AM
Hälsingland (a region in sweden) began with its Christianization around year 1055. Then archbishop Adalbert from Hamburg-Bremen sent bishop Stenfinn to convert Hälsingland. Stenfinn got the name Staffan in sweden. Staffan were a benedictine monk in Corbie at the river Somme in northern France. Totally the Archbishop sent six bishops to the Nordic countries
It was a difficult and risky to come here thousand years ago. Even today some people are afraid of foreign influences and do not accept people who are not born within their own parish (A parish is a territorial unit that was usually historically served by a local church)
Imagine how it would be back then, when a foreigner came to condemn ones religion. Staffan came by sea through Roslagen via Uppsala, that is where where he condemns our Oden, Tor and Frej.
From there he went north, through the robber rich forests at Ödemården.
A place which borders between two regions. Hälsingland and Gästrikland
In Hälsingland he settled, from there he went around by horse and preached about christianity. A legend says he owned 5 horses placed at strategic places.
Staffan was brave and confident with his preachings. He even torn down an altar and overturned a blood sacrifice stone. But Hälsingland wasn't ready to give up their pagan traditions. Consumed by rage they hunted Staffan to the Region border at Ödemården and stoned him to death, around y1060.
When he meet his destiny he foretold a prophesy, which says that a stupa should be erected over his grave, and when the stupa falls for the third time the worlds end would be near. By fear that Staffan had unknown powers, the residents gave him a honorable funeral. Staffan was tied to an untamed colt who they let ran away. Where the colt finally stopped, that was the place Staffan would be buried. Two stupas were build in wood, and the one by stone build y1829 is the third one, which stands today at Norrala cemetery. But recently a huge crack has been seen at one side at the stone.
A memory stone where he got stoned is placed by a road near my home village, erected y1928 by Archbishop Nathan Söderblom.
And a offering stone by the road where people often stop to place a smaller stone with respect -->
I find it quite cool at least :D
http://img1.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5492/5492281bc83ddc257573f4ce4a7dae46b65985b.jpg (http://www.uploadhouse.com/viewfile.php?id=5492281&showlnk=0)
http://img0.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5492/549229001d5ba40f17a292aaf50fe7013f024f3.jpg (http://www.uploadhouse.com/viewfile.php?id=5492290&showlnk=0)
It was a difficult and risky to come here thousand years ago. Even today some people are afraid of foreign influences and do not accept people who are not born within their own parish (A parish is a territorial unit that was usually historically served by a local church)
Imagine how it would be back then, when a foreigner came to condemn ones religion. Staffan came by sea through Roslagen via Uppsala, that is where where he condemns our Oden, Tor and Frej.
From there he went north, through the robber rich forests at Ödemården.
A place which borders between two regions. Hälsingland and Gästrikland
In Hälsingland he settled, from there he went around by horse and preached about christianity. A legend says he owned 5 horses placed at strategic places.
Staffan was brave and confident with his preachings. He even torn down an altar and overturned a blood sacrifice stone. But Hälsingland wasn't ready to give up their pagan traditions. Consumed by rage they hunted Staffan to the Region border at Ödemården and stoned him to death, around y1060.
When he meet his destiny he foretold a prophesy, which says that a stupa should be erected over his grave, and when the stupa falls for the third time the worlds end would be near. By fear that Staffan had unknown powers, the residents gave him a honorable funeral. Staffan was tied to an untamed colt who they let ran away. Where the colt finally stopped, that was the place Staffan would be buried. Two stupas were build in wood, and the one by stone build y1829 is the third one, which stands today at Norrala cemetery. But recently a huge crack has been seen at one side at the stone.
A memory stone where he got stoned is placed by a road near my home village, erected y1928 by Archbishop Nathan Söderblom.
And a offering stone by the road where people often stop to place a smaller stone with respect -->
I find it quite cool at least :D
http://img1.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5492/5492281bc83ddc257573f4ce4a7dae46b65985b.jpg (http://www.uploadhouse.com/viewfile.php?id=5492281&showlnk=0)
http://img0.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/5492/549229001d5ba40f17a292aaf50fe7013f024f3.jpg (http://www.uploadhouse.com/viewfile.php?id=5492290&showlnk=0)