Cathedral Almenum
| Almenum | |
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| Village | |
The Cathedral of Almenum drawn on a map of Harlingen 1664
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| Coordinates: 53°11′N 5°26′E / 53.183°N 5.433°E | |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Province | Friesland |
| gemeente | Harlingen |
| Population | |
| • Total | c. 0 |
Almenum is a historic locality in the northern Netherlands, near Midlum, Friesland the site of the first Christian church in Friesland.Saint Boniface set up a local church in the locality in 754. The location of the church is on the Terp of Almenum, a mound of earth about five meters high. Almenum is named after the place where someone called "Allaman" lived. The -um suffix is derived from the West Frisian word "hiem" meaning "home". An alternative explanation for the name of the locality is that it originally meant common lands for grazing cattle. In Icelandic this kind of land still uses the term "almenningurheim".
Almenum is the first place missionary to the Frisians, Boniface visited in 754 AD. According to legend, it is the site of the first Christian church building in Friesland built in 777 AD by Gustavus Forteman the father of the legendary Magnus Forteman who both lived nearby. The church building was originally a thatched wooden structure. It was dedicated to the archangel Michael. The wooden church was 10.25 × 22.5 meters in size. It burned down twice and was rebuilt.
A legend says that a miraculous red banner called Magnusvaan was included in the walls of the St. Michaëlsdom church. This flag, according to legend, belonged to Friso the founder of the Frisian people. It had miraculous powers to avert lightning and storms, to repel evil spirits, and make one invincible. After Friso's death he was buried with the flag and no one knew of it. Willibrord the apostle to the Frisians, had a dream where an angel pointed out the spot where the red flag lay buried. The bishop Willibrord excavated it and gave it to Magnus Forteman. The flag was used when Magnus conquered Rome. After this it was hidden again in the wall of the church at Almenum. The Saxons searched for it and could not find it, and legend has it that no one will be able to find it.
Jancko Douwama recorded this legend, but also named Oldeboorn or Ferwoude as possible locations. Ferwoude adopted a red background for its own flag in honour of this legendary flag.
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