Hallgrímur Pétursson

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Hallgrímur Pétursson
Hallgrímur Pétursson
Born1614
Gröf, Iceland
Died27 October 1674
Ferstikla, Iceland

Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614 – 27 October 1674) was an

Hallgrímskirkja in Saurbær are named in his honor. He was one of the most influential pastors during the Age of Orthodoxy (1580–1713). Because of his contributions to Lutheran hymnody, he is sometimes called the Icelandic Paul Gerhardt
.

Biography

Saurbær
.

Hallgrímur Pétursson was likely born at

Church of Our Lady
. Brynjólfur had family connections to Hallgrímur, as his half-brother was married to Hallgrímur's aunt.

According to folk legend, Brynjólfur first encountered Hallgrímur by chance when travelling through Glückstadt in the Duchy of Schleswig (then under Danish rule). Hallgrímur's blacksmith employer mistreated the boy, and in passing Brynjólfur heard Hallgrímur curse his employer in Icelandic. Brynjólfur took pity on the young Icelander and saw to it that the boy was educated.

During his last year of study there, Hallgrímur was employed to re-educate a group of Icelanders who had been kidnapped by

Westman Islands
, who had not been captured in the raid. After Guðríður became pregnant by Hallgrímur, he left the seminary and returned with the group to Iceland. On their arrival it emerged that Guðríður's husband had died, leaving her a widow; she and Hallgrímur promptly married and he worked as a labourer for a number of years.

Seven years after Hallgrímur's return to Iceland, Brynjólfur Sveinsson, his former sponsor and then bishop at

Saurbær in Hvalfjörður, a much sought-after position. He served there until his death in 1674 from leprosy
.

Works

Hallgrímur Pétursson's most notable work is

Passion of Christ
it refers and a reference to a melody to which it may be sung.

Other famous works include Aldarháttur, Rímur af Lykla-Pétri og Magellónu, Króka-Refs rímur, and a collection of cautionary children's rhymes.

External links

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