Saint Olaf's Church, Helsingør
| Cathedral of St Olaf | |
|---|---|
| Sankt Olai Domkirke | |
 |
|
| Location | Helsingør |
| Country | Denmark |
| Denomination | Church of Denmark |
| Website | Official web site |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Olaf |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Completed | 1559 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Helsingør |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Lise-Lotte Rebel |
| Vicar(s) | Anders Kingo |
| Dean | Steffen Ravn Jørgensen |
| Laity | |
| Organist(s) | Bo Grønbech |
| Verger | Anne-Marie Dam |
| Music group(s) | Helsingør Domkor |
Saint Olaf's Church (Danish: Sankt Olai Kirke) is the cathedral church of Helsingør in the north of Zealand, Denmark. With a history going back to around 1200, the present building was completed in 1559. In 1961, the church was given the status of cathedral in connection with the establishment of the Diocese of Helsingør.
The church was dedicated to Saint Olaf of Norway. Mentioned for the first time in 1295, the original small Romanesque church was probably built at the beginning of the 13th century. Helsingør developed rapidly after Eric of Pomerania introduced customs fees in the 1420s for ships sailing through the Øresund, soon becoming one of Denmark's largest market towns. The church is mentioned in several late 15th-century documents in connection with Johan Oxe's Chapel and, later, the inscription on the alarm bell in 1511. When the church was rededicated in 1521, possibly after a fire, Saint Andrew and Saint Vincent are mentioned as patron saints. After the Reformation, Saint Olaf's gained a reputation as a Catholic stronghold, a Protestant priest saying in 1536 he was unable to take up his appointment there.
Many of the ships passing Helsingør were British as a community of Scots settled in town in the early 16th century. They had an altar dedicated to Saint Jacob, Saint Andrew and the Scottish Saint Ninian in Saint Olaf's. It is mentioned in 1511 but had disappeared by 1858, although it was stated that the hospital should reserve a bed for a Scot in need. The altar is now kept in the National Museum.
In connection with the church's completion from 1557 to 1561, work was carried out on the vaulting and heightening the tower, as well as on the inclusion of several altars inside the church. In 1559, the king gave the burghers of Helsingør an altarpiece from Esrum Monastery. After suffering from the cost of a spire in 1614, the church received financial support from the Crown. In 1782, it was stated in a letter from the Crown that Saint Olaf's should become the main church for all the Danish citizens of the town while Saint Mary's Church should be the church for Germans. This in fact only confirmed a situation which had existed since at least 1586. On 1 January 1961, Saint Olaf's became the cathedral church of the Diocese of Helsingør.
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