St. Canute's Cathedral
St. Canute's Cathedral | ||
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Sankt Knuds Kirke | ||
Style Gothic | | |
Completed | 11th century 14th century | |
Specifications | ||
Number of towers | 1 | |
Materials | Brick | |
Administration | ||
Diocese | Funen | |
Parish | Saint Canute | |
Clergy | ||
Provost | Regina Ljung[1] | |
Vicar(s) | Peter Ruge Peder P. Thyssen Anne Kathrine Rafn Hauge | |
Laity | ||
Organist(s) | Randi Mortensen Anders Grankvist Schou |
St. Canute's Cathedral (
History
St. Canute's Church in one form or another has stood on Abbey Hill in Odense (Danish: Klosterbakken) for over 900 years.
Odense was established as the seat of the
The earliest known church on the present location was a
King Canute IV of Denmark
Canute reigned at a difficult time in Danish history. The idea of a strengthened monarchy did not sit well with the powerful feudal landowners, but it was just what Canute had in mind. After the death of his older brother, the national assembly (Ting) met on
Canute was a devout Christian and believed that a strong central church in Denmark would give him more power. He was instrumental in improving the nationwide system of bishops by using his own local officials (fogeder) to collect
Canute brought about the wrath of some of his chiefs when he hanged Jarl Egil Ragnarsen, his hand-picked governor of Bornholm, and most of his household for piracy. Many nobles took to the seas on occasion looking for a quick way to bolster income. The execution of a high-ranking chief caused more than one chief to reconsider his support for such a troublesome monarch.
Canute's headaches came to a head in 1085-86, when he decided to invade England and try to take the throne from
When Canute arrived at Struer and found the fleet disbanded, he was furious. He thanked the Norwegians for their patience and sent them home. "Now we (Danes) will play," he said ominously. Canute blamed the wives of several leading chiefs from Jutland of causing bad weather and ordered his officers to collect such heavy fines from their families that it would have bankrupted all of them. Then he proceeded from assembly to assembly to outlaw any man, sailor, peasant or noble who left Struer until they paid a heavy fine, more than the annual income of any but the wealthiest nobles. Within days the peasants in Vendsyssel, the most northern part of Jutland, rebelled. Royal property was burned, and royal officials were tortured and murdered.
The Jute chiefs decided to cast their lot in with the peasants for once, and the rebellion spread rapidly. Canute and his household and other loyal followers fled from Jutland with the intention of returning to Zealand, where Canute had more support. He was convinced instead however to sail over to Funen and then on to the royal farm (gård) at Odense by his trusted adviser, Asbjørn Blak, who also persuaded the king that he could be reconciled with the great landowners and peasants.
Canute and his brothers, Benedict and Erik, and their housecarls went to the king's farm outside Odense. When the peasants and their leaders realized the king was at Odense, they raced to the king's farm, but Canute and Benedict fled into the little timber church of St. Alban's Priory near the river for sanctuary. The rebels refused to recognize sanctuary. "Come out to us, you devil. Too long you have used the edge of your sword to hurt your own people. Now you will feel the edge of our weapons!" Prince Benedict and several others defended the doors. The mob hurled stones and arrows through the windows shouting, "This is for stealing my cow! This is for taking my horses!" Since they couldn't get through the heavy outer doors, the mob tried to set fire to the church, but a light rain kept the fire from taking hold. They began tearing at the timber walls to get access. Prince Benedict shouted, "It would be better that you go home to thresh your grain than stand here and exchange blows with the king's men!" The remaining defenders retreated to the choir door which separated the altar area from the nave of the church. The floors ran with blood. "There he is!" shouted Blak, but before the traitor could move against the king, he was slain by Prince Benedict. The mob hacked Prince Benedict to death. Canute had received communion and tradition says he offered no resistance when he was killed at the main altar. Forensic evidence suggests he was speared from the front and had his skull smashed, perhaps by a stone thrown through an opening that had been torn through the wall of the choir. Prince Erik, later King
The Benedictine monks buried Canute and Prince Benedict in front of the main altar of the priory church. The story of Canute's death at the altar and his well-known devoutness quickly caught the popular imagination. When his queen, Adela of Flanders, came to move her husband's body to Flanders, a bright light shone around St. Alban's church. The queen left her husband where he was, and the faithful streamed to the church which housed the remains of their saintly king. Almost immediately there were reports of miraculous healings at the site of his burial. Blind, deaf, and lame were healed. Seven years of famine following Canute's death were another sure sign that Canute was worthy of veneration. His brother and successor, Olaf I, was given the nickname Hunger because he was unable to do anything about the famine that ravaged Denmark for years after Canute's death.
The unique circumstances of Canute's death was seized upon by the Roman Catholic Church as an example of saintliness for the newly converted peoples of Scandinavia. Canute was canonized in 1101 by
Second St. Canute's Cathedral
During the civil war between
In all it took approximately two hundred years to complete the cathedral, which was finally dedicated on 30 April 1499. The church was built in cruciform shape without a tower. The ancient crypt was expanded in such a way that pilgrims could visit the reliquary of Saint Canute beneath the raised choir without interfering with the canons' hourly services above. The canons also claimed they had relics of Saint Alban which Canute supposedly stole on his 1075 attack on Ely, England.
The single tower was completed in 1586 over the west entrance in the same style as the rest of the cathedral. Five bells hang in the tower, the oldest from 1300 cast by Adam..., one cast in 1597 by Jens Hansen, a bell cast in 1677, and one from 1767 cast by ... Leitze. The most recent bell was cast by MP Allerup in 1880.
In 1633 Valkendorf's Chapel was added, by all accounts a fine example of Renaissance artistry. Unfortunately it was dismantled in the great restoration of 1868.
Thomas Kingo was made the Lutheran Bishop of Odense in 1634. He was Denmark's most famous psalmist and produced a new hymnbook to which he personally contributed 85 hymns.
1752 Amdie Worm's spectacular organ was installed. The facade of the organ remains, but the organ has been expanded and improved to become the cherished voice of Odense Cathedral.
During restoration work in the 1870s, the crypt which had been closed since the Reformation was refurbished and opened as a chapel, and Saint Canute once more went on display.
Gallery
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St. Canute's Cathedral seen from Eventyrhaven park. The statue represents Hans Christian Andersen. The yellow building stands on the site of the former St. Canute's Abbey
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Nave
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Altar by the sculptor Claus Berg.
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Detail of altar: a Franciscan friar, possibly intended for Brother Jacob the Dacian
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Hans of Denmark, detail of grave monument by Claus Berg
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The bones of Saint Canute IV of Denmark interred in the cathedral named after him
References
- ^ "Præsterne (The priests)" (in Danish). odense-domkirke.dk.
- ^ "Ancient See of Odense Denmark". Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
- ^ "Knud den Hellige, ca. 1042-1086". Danmarks Historien. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
- ^ "Svend Estridsen, o. 1018-1076, Konge". Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
- ^ "Harald Hén, ca. 1040-1080". Danmarks Historien. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
Other sources
- Hvidtfeldt, Arild (1985) Danmarks Riges Krønike (København: Peter Asschenfeldt's Bogklub) (in Danish) ISBN 9788773655870
External links
- Odense Cathedral website
- Kirkeklokker i Danmark[permanent dead link] (in Danish)
- Sankt Knuds Kirke Archived 2017-06-06 at the Wayback Machine (nordenskirker.dk)
- Sankt Knuds Kirke (Den Store Danske)
- Sankt Knuds Kirke (Danmarks Kirker, Nationalmuseet)
- da:Knud den Hellige (in Danish)