Olsok
Olsok ("Olaf's Wake" or "Olaf's Vigil") is a national day of celebration on July 29 in the Nordic countries of Norway and the Faroe Islands, and also in the provinces of Härjedalen in Sweden and Savonlinna in Finland.[1]
Background
King
Until the
In the Faroe Islands, Ólavsøka is also recognized on July 29. Ólavsøka is the biggest summer festival in the Faroe Islands and is commonly celebrated over a several day period. This tradition dates from when the islands were part of Norway during the Middle Ages.[7] Within Sweden Olofsmässa ("Olaf's Mass") is recognized principally within the former Norwegian province of Härjedalen.[8]
Within Finland, Pyhän Olavin Päivä ("St. Olaf's Day") is celebrated principally at Savonlinna, site of Olavinlinna ("Olof's Castle"), since St. Olaf is the patron saint of the site.[9][10]
References
- ^ Olsok: a Nordic celebration across beliefs and borders (Baltzersens Ltd)
- ^ Olsok og Olsokfeiring i Norge – 29.juli (Aktiv i Oslo AS)
- ^ Olsok eller Olavsdagen (Bibelen i Norge)
- ^ Norges flagg (regjeringen.no)
- ^ Olsok (Store norske leksikon)
- ^ St. Olav's Day (Farlex, Inc.)
- ^ Ólavsøka (Tórshavnar kommunu)
- ^ Olofsmässa (Nationalencyklopedin AB)
- ^ Olavinlinna Castle Events (World Heritage in Finland)
- ^ Pyhän Olavin päivä 29.7 (Savonlinna)
Other sources
- DuBois, Thomas Sanctity in the North: Saints, Lives, and Cults in Medieval Scandinavia (Toronto, 2008) ISBN 978-0802091307
- Lynch, Joseph The Medieval Church: A Brief History (Routledge, 1992) ISBN 978-0582494671
- Myklebus, Morten Olaf Viking & Saint (Norwegian Council for Cultural Affairs, 1997) ISBN 978-82-7876-004-8
- Winroth, Anders The Conversion of Scandinavia: Vikings, Merchants, and Missionaries in the Remaking of Northern Europe (Yale University Press, 2014) ISBN 978-0300205534
- Pulsiano, Phillip (ed), Kirsten Wolf (ed) (1993) Medieval Scandinavia: An Encyclopedia (Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group) ISBN 978-0824047870