ST RONALD OF ORKNEY

ST RONALD OF ORKNEY - 20 AUGUST

SAINT RONALD OF ORKNEY

Rognvald Kali Kolsson, also known as St Ronald of Orkney, born in 1100, was a Norwegian earl of Orkney who came to be regarded as a Christian saint.

Saint Rognvald's parents were lendmann Kolr Kalisson and Gunnhildr Erlendsdottir, the sister of Saint Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney. It was through his mother, Gunnhildr, that Rognvald had a claim on the Orkney earldom.

EARL OF ORKNEY AND SHETLAND

Rognvald grew up in Norway, where he was known as Kali Kolsson. He also had a sister, Ingrid. Kali was a fine poet and in one of his poems claims to possess nine exceptional skills, having mastered board games, runes, reading and writing, handicrafts (such as metalwork, carving, and carpentry), skiing, archery, rowing, music, and poetry. The sagas support this view of Kali as able and skilled.

King Sigurd I of Norway appointed him Earl of Orkney and Shetland in 1129. In 1137, Rognvald initiated the building of Saint Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall, Scotland.

HE SET OUT ON A PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND

In 1151, Earl Rognvald set out on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Having visited Jerusalem, his party made its way back north via Constantinople, where it was received by the emperor Manuel I Komnenos and his Varangian Guard, then sailed to Apulia where they took horses for the journey to Rome, arriving back in Orkney for Christmas 1153.

HE WAS BURIED IN ST MAGNUS CATHEDRAL

While he was abroad, King David I of Scotland granted half of Caithness to the cousin of Harald Maddadsson, Erlend Haraldsson. Earl Harald subsequently displaced Erlend Haraldsson, who was killed in 1156.

On August 20, 1158 Rognvald was killed with his company of eight men by Thorbjorn Klerk, the former friend and counsellor of Harald, who had been made an outlaw by Earl Rognvald for a murder committed in Kirkwall, following a series of acts of violence.

His body was taken to Kirkwall and buried in St Magnus Cathedral. Miracles happened at his grave as well as on the stone where he died. Rognvald was canonised 1192 by Pope Celestine III.

Information from Wikipedia - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%B6gnvald_Kali_Kolsson

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Ronald may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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