Saint Thorlak

Infobox Saint
name= Saint Thorlac Thorhalli
birth_date= 1133
death_date= December 23, 1193
feast_day= December 23; July 20 (translation of relics)
venerated_in= Roman Catholic Church


imagesize= 80px
caption= Statue of St Thorlac on the front of Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway
birth_place=
death_place= Skalholt
titles=
beatified_date=
beatified_place=
beatified_by=
canonized_date=
canonized_place=
canonized_by=
attributes=
patronage=Iceland
major_shrine=
suppressed_date=
issues=

Saint Thorlac Thorhalli (Old Norse: Þorlákr Þórhallsson, Icelandic: Þorlákur (helgi) Þórhallsson) (1133 – December 23, 1193) is the patron saint of Iceland. He was bishop of Skalholt from 1178. His status as a saint was confirmed in 1198 by the Althing, but this was never made official by the Catholic Church until January 14, 1984, when John Paul II canonized him officially and declared him the patron saint of Iceland. [ [http://www.vortex.is/catholica/endex.html Roman Catholic Diocese of Reykjavik, Iceland ] ]

Of an aristocratic family, Thorlac was ordained deacon before he was fifteen and consecrated a priest at the age of eighteen. He studied abroad at Paris and Lincoln for about six years (he may also have visited London).

Returning to Iceland in 1161, Thorlac founded an Augustinian monastery at Þykkvibær after refusing to marry a rich widow. There he devoted himself to a strictly religious life, refusing to marry (many other Icelandic priests were married) and devoting himself to reciting the Our Father, the Creed, and a hymn, as well as fifty Psalms.

Episcopate

He was consecrated as bishop by Augustine of Nidaros and worked to regulate the Augustinian Rule in Iceland, as well as eradicate simony, lay patronage, and clerical incontinency.

Þorláksmessa (St. Thorlac's Day)

Þorláksmessa ("Thorlac's mass") is celebrated on the date of his death, December 23.

It is considered the last day of preparations before Christmas. Therefore, on St. Thorlac's Day, the house is cleaned and preparations for the Christmas meal are begun. Fish was usually eaten on Þorláksmessa since December 23 was the last day of the Catholic Christmas fast. In western Iceland, it was customary to eat cured skate on this day; this custom spread to the whole of Iceland. The skate is usually served with boiled or mashed potatoes, accompanied by a shot of Brennivín. [ [http://www.jolahusid.com/engl/stlaki.htm Prague Apartments from 40€ a day, Prague Accommodation, Hotels in Prague, Apartment Prague, Accommodation in Prague, Prague Hotels ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/1223.htm#thor Saints of December 23: Thorlac Thornalli]
* [http://jol.ismennt.is/english/thorlaksmessa-arnastofnun.htm Þorláksmessa - The Day of St. Thorlakur: The Icelandic Saint St. Thorlakur]