St. Sunniva and the island of Selja

St. Sunniva of Selja

St. Sunniva is Norway first and oldest saint and was martyred on the island of Selja in the 10th century (feast day July 8th). She is a great example of someone who forsook the riches and power of the world in order to iherit the Kingdom of God. This was the time of the vikings and it was during this era that Norway was Christianized. It was a slow process that took several hundred years. Trade, travel, missionaries and monasticism was the most important influence. The Christianity that arrived in Norway at this time was Orthodox and Orthodox Christians recognize St. Sunniva together with St. Olav and St. Hallvard as Orthodox saints even though St. Sunniva and the holy men that followed her were western Christians from Celtic Ireland. At that time Christians all over Western Europe were united in the one Orthodox and Catholic Church. Today Orthodox pilgrims are visiting the island again. This video tells the story St. Sunniva and of the island of Selja:

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