Nuuk Cathedral Nuuk with statue of the 'Apostle to Greenland' Hans Egede (1687-1758)
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts of the Apostles 1:8
the evangelization of greenland
Crozier and Episcopal ring of Greenland Bishop from 13th century ( skelton radio carbon dages 1223-1290) Wikipedia.
Christianity first came to the island of Greenland in the year 1000AD led by Norse settlers. A little like the Moravians on Chatham Island in the Pacific the settlement did not endure due to the harsh climatic conditions and possible conflicts with the Eskimo tribes. The Diocese of Greenland was called Garðar and the first Bishop was called Amaldur. Ordained by the Archbishop of Lund in Sweden in 1124, he arrived in Greenland two years later in 1126 and started to construct a Cathedral. He named the Cathedral in honor of the patron saint of sailors Saint Nicholas and it was the first Cathedral to be built in the Americas. Even to the present it remains one of the oldest examples of European architecture in the Americas. The Diocese however only survived a couple of hundred years until the death of Bishop Álfurin in 1377. During that time they built seven stone churches. From that time, although Bishops were ordained for service in Greenland, they never lived on the island itself. No one was quite sure what happened to the little colony and Diocese. The ruins of the Cathedral were designated to be a part of the UNESCO World heritage list in 2017. This was part of the 'Kujataa Greenland: Norse and Inuit Farming at the edge of the Ice Cap' site.
Ganðar Cathedral Ruins Greeland ( photo Svickova Wikimedia Commons)
hans Poulsen egede - the apostle of greenland ( 1685-1758)
Hans Egede 1745 portrait by Johan Hörner
Hans Egede - often called the 'Apostle of Greenland' - was born in Harstad in North East Norway in 1686. He became a minister in the Lutheran Church serving initially on the remote Lofoten Island off the north coast of Norway. Probably as a result of being in such a remote area he became interested in early Norse settlements in Greenland which had been sent out by a Norwegian Bishop in previous centuries. Nothing had been heard from these settlers since the late fourteenth century. As they were Catholic Christians, he presumed they would have remained Catholic after Norway had become Lutheran, or that they may have been lost to Christian faith completely. Hans wondered as to their condition and resolved himself to bring the Gospel message to any of their surviving descendants as well as to any other inhabitants of the island. When in 1711 his approach to the King of Denmark and the Bishops for a mission was not received, he decided to take a different approach. He offered instead to set up trading posts and to bring settlers and thus add a commercial purpose. This offer was accepted and Egede set up the Bergen-Greenland Company
( Det Bergen Grølandske Compagnie) for this purpose. On May 1721 he set sail for Greenland on the ship 'Haabet' ( meaning 'The Hope') with his wife and two sons together with forty other colonists. The ship arrived at a small archipelago at the entrance to the Godthåb Fjord. The last part of their journey they were joined by a group of Inuit kayaks.
( Det Bergen Grølandske Compagnie) for this purpose. On May 1721 he set sail for Greenland on the ship 'Haabet' ( meaning 'The Hope') with his wife and two sons together with forty other colonists. The ship arrived at a small archipelago at the entrance to the Godthåb Fjord. The last part of their journey they were joined by a group of Inuit kayaks.
Egede's Map of 1722 the area around Habets Oe
Upon landing he was disappointed to find none of the original mission had survived, leaving only the native eskimos on the land. Not to be deterred he started to learn the native language of the Eskimos which was called Kalaallit, and to study their culture. His initial efforts did not have any success but his fortune changed when there was an outbreak of smallpox which ravaged the Eskimo community. Hans and his wife showed great care in nursing the sick and helping to bury the dead. A dying Eskimo was heard to say to Hans
' You have been kinder to us than we have been to one another; you have fed us when we were famished and buried our dead and, in particular, you told us of God and how to become blessed in the next life'.
Hans baptized his first convert on 1 January 1725. As they had no notion of what bread was his translation of the line of the Our Father 'Give us this day our daily bread' he translated as 'Give us this day our daily seal.'
Hans created the colonial town of Godthåb meaning 'Good Hope' which later became Greenlands Capital 'Nuuk'. His legacy is a little controversial as he was involved in bringing colonial trading practices to Greenland. His contribution to Greenland history however is firm espcially with regard to his work of creating a written language for the County. His legacy is a continual part of Greenlands own discussions about its history and identity and its path to independence. His statue overlooks St Nicholas Cathedral in Nuuk.
' You have been kinder to us than we have been to one another; you have fed us when we were famished and buried our dead and, in particular, you told us of God and how to become blessed in the next life'.
Hans baptized his first convert on 1 January 1725. As they had no notion of what bread was his translation of the line of the Our Father 'Give us this day our daily bread' he translated as 'Give us this day our daily seal.'
Hans created the colonial town of Godthåb meaning 'Good Hope' which later became Greenlands Capital 'Nuuk'. His legacy is a little controversial as he was involved in bringing colonial trading practices to Greenland. His contribution to Greenland history however is firm espcially with regard to his work of creating a written language for the County. His legacy is a continual part of Greenlands own discussions about its history and identity and its path to independence. His statue overlooks St Nicholas Cathedral in Nuuk.
the moravian brethren mission to greenland 1733-1900
THe Moravian Missions House Neu Herrnhut - 1774 now part of the University of Greenland
A group that was less controversial in the history of Christianity in Greenland were the Moravians. The Moravian Brotherhood mission began when three Moravians left Herrnhut in Saxony, and travelled to Copenhagen with the idea of travelling catching a ship to Greenland. They wished to teach the native Greenlanders the Christian message and to share their own distinctive way of life. After an arduous journey they arrived in Greenland in 1733. They only brought with them the essentials for life, with little idea how to start a congregation with the native Eskimo community. The initial years were hard as they got used to life in cold barren lands. They had to struggle for food while they sought to learn the native language Kalaallisut. They set about creating housing for the second wave of Moravian Missionaries which included women who arrived in 1774. The Moravians named their first settlement after their hometown in Saxony, calling it New Herrnhut. Other serrlements followed in Lichtenfels (1758) and Lichtenau (1774) which became one of the the largest.
By 1747 they had successfully created a community house they called Herrnhut House. All the wood for the building was imported from Europe. The native Greenlanders were so impressed with the building they remarked ' if something as beautiful as this can be built on earth, what must the afterlife be like?' Their Mission station was later to become a building of the first University of Greenland. (see above)
The initial community was settled into 'choir houses' which were segregated by their marital status, with choirs for family and single sex choir houses. After a period Inuit who were converted to Christianity joined the community as their own native community style was similarly community based. Later the Choir system was dropped to conform more to the Inuit lifestyle.
By 1747 they had successfully created a community house they called Herrnhut House. All the wood for the building was imported from Europe. The native Greenlanders were so impressed with the building they remarked ' if something as beautiful as this can be built on earth, what must the afterlife be like?' Their Mission station was later to become a building of the first University of Greenland. (see above)
The initial community was settled into 'choir houses' which were segregated by their marital status, with choirs for family and single sex choir houses. After a period Inuit who were converted to Christianity joined the community as their own native community style was similarly community based. Later the Choir system was dropped to conform more to the Inuit lifestyle.
A Lithograph of Traditional Greeland peat houses with European wndown and chimney with the Moravian building in the background. Lars Møller from Watercolor of Rink 1863
The Moravian Mission thrived and by 1783 there were 1,222 members of the community, both German and Inuit. They kept their' Moravian' spirit alive by assemblies and meetings and with their love of creating dramatic pieces they attracted many converts. For over a period of 150 years they established missions all along the west cost of Greenland. While baptizing people they introduced the idea of surnames, giving the natives many German and Danish family names which survive until today.
During their 150 years in Greenland they baptized 10,000 Inuit. When they first arrived they had one Mission station: at the end of the 19th century they had six stations with nine schools, and twenty eight stations with twenty four schools. Due to dwindling resources the Mission decided to reduce its work and the last few Moravian Missionaries finally left Greenland on September 11 1900. They allowed the Danish Lutheran Church to take over the pastoral work they had established. (1)
During their 150 years in Greenland they baptized 10,000 Inuit. When they first arrived they had one Mission station: at the end of the 19th century they had six stations with nine schools, and twenty eight stations with twenty four schools. Due to dwindling resources the Mission decided to reduce its work and the last few Moravian Missionaries finally left Greenland on September 11 1900. They allowed the Danish Lutheran Church to take over the pastoral work they had established. (1)
Inuit Children in Greenland Photo Andrea Klausner