Tonight we pray for the people of Norway

Today the people of Norway experienced terror on two fronts; a horrific bombing in Oslo that killed 7, injured many more and left the city and country in shock.  And then word spread later in the day that at a youth camp on a forested island in Norway 80 innocent young people were gunned down.  Here is the full report:

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-fg-norway-bombing-20110723,0,6147794,full.story


We sometimes only care when these things hit close to home but terror and fear and injustice anywhere is terror and fear and injustice everywhere.

As we pray for the folks of Norway I thought who is the patron saint of this Scandinavian country.  I knew that Sweden has St. Bridget, who we remember tomorrow.  But Norway; I could not remember.  So to the search engine I go; it's St. Olaf.  And as I read about him I notice his feast day is one week from today; barely a week removed from today's tragic act of terrorism.  So reflect on his life as part of your prayer for the Norwegian people today:

St. Olaf
Feastday: July 29


Olaf was the son of Harold Grenske, a lord in Norway. Olaf Haraldsson, often called "the Fat", spent his youth as a pirate. He was baptized in Rouen, and in 1013, went to England to aid King Ethelred against the Danes. He returned to Norway in 1015, captured most of Norway back from the Danes and Swedes, defeated Earl Sweyn at the battle of Nesjar in 1016, and became king. He set about unifying and Christianizing his realm, but the harshness of his rule precipitated a revolt of the nobles in 1029, and aided by Canute of Denmark, they defeated him and forced him to flee to Russia. He returned in 1030 and attempted to recover his kingdom, but was slain at the Battle of Stiklestad in Norway on July 29th. Though not too popular during his lifetime, miracles were reported at his shrine, and a chapel was built, which became the cathedral of Trondheim; it became a great pilgrimage center for all Scandinavia. He is one of the great heroes of Norway for his efforts to unify and Christianize Norway, of which he is patron. He was canonized in 1164 and his feast day is July 29th.