Ancient See of Aarhus
Encyclopedia
The Ancient See
of Aarhus
(Latin: Arusia, Arusiensis) was a pre-reformation
Catholic diocese in Denmark
.
The diocese included the counties (amter) of Aarhus
and Randers
, the islands of Samsø
and Tunø
, and, after 1396, part of the county of Viborg
.
of Jutland
, built the church of the Holy Trinity at Aarhus in about 900. In 948 Archbishop Adaldag
of Hamburg consecrated Reginbrand as missionary Bishop
of Aarhus. Jutland was consolidated into a single diocese after Reginbrand's death in 988, with Viborg or Ribe as its centre. The diocese, then a suffragan of Hamburg-Bremen, was redivided in 1060, and Bishop Christian of Aarhus was ordained by Adalbert I
, Archbishop
of Hamburg. In 1104 the diocese became a suffragan of the then newly elevated Archdiocese of Lund
.
.
. In about 1150 the Venerable Niels, Prince of Denmark was buried in the churchyard. The offerings at his tomb facilitated the commencement of a new stone cathedral.
Peter Vagnsen, Svend Udsson's successor, began the construction of the stone Cathedral of Saint Clement in 1201, which was finished about 1263. In 1330 the greater part of it was burnt down. Peter Jensen Lodeliat (1386-1395) and Bo Magnussen (1395-1423) were the prelates mainly concerned in the erection of the present building.
but was imprisoned in 1536. In this he was aided by Paulus Heliae, prior of the Carmelite monastery at Elsinore
.
, Alling
, and Veirlov; Augustinian Canons at Tvilum, Cistercians at Øm, who survived till 1560; and Carthusians at Aarhus. There were also Franciscans at Horsens
and Randers, Dominicans
at Aarhus, Horsens
, and Randers, Carmelites and a hospital of the Holy Spirit
at Aarhus. There were Hospitallers of St. John
till 1568 at Horsens. Lastly there were Brigittines at Mariager
from 1412 to 1592.
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of Aarhus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
(Latin: Arusia, Arusiensis) was a pre-reformation
Reformation in Denmark
The Reformation in Denmark–Norway and Holstein was the transition from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism in the realms ruled by the Copenhagen-based House of Oldenburg in the first half of the sixteenth century...
Catholic diocese in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
The diocese included the counties (amter) of Aarhus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
and Randers
Randers
Randers is a city in Randers municipality on the Jutland peninsula in central Denmark. It is Denmark's sixth-largest city, with a population of 60,656 . Randers city is the main town of the municipality and the site of its municipal council.-Overview:Randers municipality has 94,750 inhabitants...
, the islands of Samsø
Samsø
Samsø is a Danish island in the Kattegat off the Jutland Peninsula. Samsø is located in Samsø municipality. The community has 4,300 inhabitants called Samsingers and is 114 km² in area. Due to its central location, the island was used during the Viking Age as a meeting place...
and Tunø
Tunø
Tunø is a Danish island in the Kattegat, approximately 4 km from Samsø. The island covers an area of 3.52km² and has 113 inhabitants, as of 2005. It comes under the administration of Odder municipality. The island's premier town is known as Tunø By, the secondary town is Løkkegårde.Tunø...
, and, after 1396, part of the county of Viborg
Viborg
Viborg may refer to:*Viborg, Denmark, a city in Jutland, Denmark**Viborg Municipality, a Danish municipality named for the city**Viborg County, a former county of Denmark**Diocese of Viborg**Viborg FF, a professional football team based in Viborg...
.
Norse Foundations
Frode, KingMonarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
, built the church of the Holy Trinity at Aarhus in about 900. In 948 Archbishop Adaldag
Adaldag
Adaldag was the seventh archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen, from 937 until his death.He was of noble birth, a relation and pupil of Adalward, Bishop of Verden, and became canon of Hildesheim...
of Hamburg consecrated Reginbrand as missionary Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Aarhus. Jutland was consolidated into a single diocese after Reginbrand's death in 988, with Viborg or Ribe as its centre. The diocese, then a suffragan of Hamburg-Bremen, was redivided in 1060, and Bishop Christian of Aarhus was ordained by Adalbert I
Adalbert I
Adalbert I* Adalbert I von Saarbrücken* Adalbert I, Count of Vermandois* Adalbert I, Margrave of Tuscany* Adalbert I of Ivrea...
, Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Hamburg. In 1104 the diocese became a suffragan of the then newly elevated Archdiocese of Lund
Diocese of Lund
-External links:* from Nordisk Familjebok, in Swedish...
.
Early Bishops
Bishop Ulfketil (1102-1134) planned the town of Aarhus. The warlike Svend Udsson (1166-1191) founded the Cistercian abbey at OmOm
Om is a sacred syllable of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.OM and similar may also refer to:-Music:* Om , a stoner metal band* Om , a 1965 album* OM , a 2006 album* Om...
.
Saint Clement's Cathedral
Bishop Ulfketil built a wooden church in 1102 to contain the relics of Saint ClementPope Clement I
Starting in the 3rd and 4th century, tradition has identified him as the Clement that Paul mentioned in Philippians as a fellow laborer in Christ.While in the mid-19th century it was customary to identify him as a freedman of Titus Flavius Clemens, who was consul with his cousin, the Emperor...
. In about 1150 the Venerable Niels, Prince of Denmark was buried in the churchyard. The offerings at his tomb facilitated the commencement of a new stone cathedral.
Peter Vagnsen, Svend Udsson's successor, began the construction of the stone Cathedral of Saint Clement in 1201, which was finished about 1263. In 1330 the greater part of it was burnt down. Peter Jensen Lodeliat (1386-1395) and Bo Magnussen (1395-1423) were the prelates mainly concerned in the erection of the present building.
The Reformation
The last Catholic bishop, Ove Bilde resisted the ReformationReformation in Denmark
The Reformation in Denmark–Norway and Holstein was the transition from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism in the realms ruled by the Copenhagen-based House of Oldenburg in the first half of the sixteenth century...
but was imprisoned in 1536. In this he was aided by Paulus Heliae, prior of the Carmelite monastery at Elsinore
Elsinore
Helsingør is a city and the municipal seat of Helsingør municipality on the northeast coast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. Helsingør has a population of 46,279 including the southern suburbs of Snekkersten and Espergærde...
.
Religious Life in the Diocese
There were in the diocese: a chapter with 34 prebendaries at Aarhus cathedral; Benedictines at Essenbeck, VoerVoer
The Voer is a small river in Belgium and the Netherlands. It is a right tributary to the river Meuse. The source of the Voer is near the village Sint-Pieters-Voeren in the Belgian province Limburg. It crosses the Dutch border between 's-Gravenvoeren and Mesch, and flows into the river Meuse in...
, Alling
Alling
Alling is a municipality in the district of Fürstenfeldbruck in Bavaria in Germany....
, and Veirlov; Augustinian Canons at Tvilum, Cistercians at Øm, who survived till 1560; and Carthusians at Aarhus. There were also Franciscans at Horsens
Horsens
Horsens is a Danish city in east Jutland. It is the site of the council of Horsens municipality. The city's population is 53,807 and the Horsens municipality's population is 82,835 ....
and Randers, Dominicans
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
at Aarhus, Horsens
Horsens
Horsens is a Danish city in east Jutland. It is the site of the council of Horsens municipality. The city's population is 53,807 and the Horsens municipality's population is 82,835 ....
, and Randers, Carmelites and a hospital of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
at Aarhus. There were Hospitallers of St. John
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
till 1568 at Horsens. Lastly there were Brigittines at Mariager
Mariager
Mariager is a town in central Denmark with a population of 2,555 , located in Mariagerfjord municipality in Region Nordjylland in Jutland.-External links:**...
from 1412 to 1592.