This year marks an important historic milestone, as Norway celebrates the establishment of Christian law, or Kristenretten, in the country.
Painting of St. Olav the king of Norway by Pius Adamowitsch Welonsky (1893), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The seeds of Kristenretten began years before when King Olav I converted to Christianity while on an expedition in England. After his baptism and return to Norway in 995, he had wanted to Christianize the country, which he did – sometimes with great pressure.
It was years later, in 1024 when King Olav II—a distant relative and godson of Olav I—officially adopted Christian law on the island of Moster. Accompanying him was Bishop Grimkjell, an English clergyman who acted as a missionary to Norway and worked to convert others to the faith in the years after. It was this same bishop who would later become instrumental in the canonization of King Olav II, turning him into St. Olaf, or Hellig Olav—Olaf the Holy.
The establishment of Christian law in the country marked a drastic shift from being a society of power to one of law. It sought to define crime and punishment in accordance with Biblical laws and standards. New laws put into place dictated rules related to baptism, marriage, burial, and slavery. Such laws conflicted with long held pagan beliefs and rituals, which created social upheaval for many. Over time, as new laws in Norway were created, they were all formed and adopted following the foundations that were laid out by the original Kristenretten.
To mark the momentous occasion, events are happening throughout the country to celebrate the historical significance of this anniversary and celebrate Norway’s Christian cultural heritage. Of note, is the event that occurred June 1 where Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit sailed into Moster to take part in celebrations there. During the ceremony, the couple signed the Tingsteinen, which is a commemorative stone to mark where the laws were originally established and spoke of the importance of this milestone, saying: “Today, we celebrate that a thousand years ago the foundation stone was laid for our community-based society. We have built this society together through generations until today. And we continue to build, to preserve, to protect, for those who come after us. In this way, we also shape the future, by celebrating the past.”
Sources:
https://moster2024.no/en/info/information-for-english-speakers
https://cne.news/article/4218-a-1-000-years-ago-king-olav-started-to-end-slavery-in-norway
https://www.newmyroyals.com/2024/06/the-norwegian-crown-prince-couple.html
https://ufonomore.com/blog/2024/6/2/crown-prince-haakon-and-crown-princess-mette-marit-mark-1000-years-of-christian-law-in-norway#google_vignette
https://www.kongehuset.no/nyhet.html?tid=227350&sek=26939