Saint Magnus

St Magnus, Andenes Altar, Tromso, Norway.

Statue of St Magnus, Trondheim Cathedral, Norway.

Statue of St Magnus, Catholic Church, Lerwick.

Stained glass image of St Magnus, Town Hall, Lerwick.

Pilgrims from Shetland to the Shrine of St Magnus in Orkney, 1117 - c.1200

Earl Magnus Erlendsson was martyred on the island of Egilsay in Orkney, probably on 16th April 1117. The events are described in chapters 46-50 of the Orkneyinga Saga (Translated by Hermann Palsson and Paul Edwards, London 1981). This Icelandic saga, written around AD 1200, also includes an account of the miracles at the shrine of St Magnus in Chapter 57. The miracles involving Shetlanders are given here. Where there is further localisation within Shetland, the "north" is mentioned three times, and "Unst" once. Our proposal to create a Shetland Saint Magnus Way does, therefore, correspond to a genuine pilgrim route from the middle ages, linking the north of Shetland to the shrines of St Magnus in Kirkwall, Birsay and Egilsay. At Kirkwall our northern extension would meet the Orkney Saint Magnus Way and also the Northern Pilgrim Way, and so would open up a long distance hiking path from Muckle Flugga to Tain.

[Chapter 52: St Magnus' burial] "Soon after that Earl Magnus' body was carried to Mainland and buried at Christ Church, which Earl Thorfinn had built. Not long after the burial, a bright heavenly light was often seen over Magnus' grave. Then people in peril started praying to him and no sooner did they pray than their troubles came to an end. People would sense a heavenly fragrance near his grave,and the sick recovered their health, so ailing people started coming from both Orkney and Shetland to keep vigil at the grave of the holy Earl Magnus, and there they were cured of their ills."

Chapter 57. Miracles.

THERE was a farmer in Shetland called Bergfinn Skatason, who was blind. He ferried two cripples, Sigurd and Thorbjorn, south to Orkney and all three of them kept vigil at the grave of Earl Magnus. The Holy Earl revealed himself to them and with the help of God gave them back their health. Bergfinn started seeing so well that he was able to tell one hand from the other, and the two cripples straightened up. A little later, before the anniversary of Earl Magnus' death, twenty-four sick people kept vigil at his grave and all got back their health. Then a number of people said to the bishop that he should have a word with Earl Paul and get his permission to open up the grave and translate the holy relics of Earl Magnus,but whenever the matter was raised the bishop's response was cool.

[ ... ] After 21 years the relics of St Magnus were transferred to Kirkwall "A little later, Bergfinn Skatason made a second trip south from Shetland to keep a vigil by the holy relics of Earl Magnus, taking along with him his son Halfdan who suffered from leprosy. Earl Magnus revealed himself to them both and placed his hands upon them, whereupon Halfdan was completely healed and Bergfinn's sight improved so much that he could see well."

To the north in Shetland there was a man called Amundi whose whole body was leprous, He travelled to Kirkwall and kept vigil at the shrine of Earl Magnus the Holy, asking for help and health. Earl Magnus, that holy servant of God, appeared to him in a dream and laid his hands upon Amundi's whole body, whereupon, waking, he found himself completely cured, with nothing at all wrong with him. Everyone praised God and the Holy Earl Magnus."

[ ... ] "In Shetland there was a man called Thorbjorn, son of Gyrd, who was insane, but when he was taken to Earl Magnus he was cured immediately.

There was a man called Thord Dragon-Jaw, a tenant of Bergfinn's in Shetland. He was threshing corn in a barley-shed on the eve of St Magnus and St Lucy when just about sunset the farmer, Bergfinn, came to the barn and told them to stop work. 'It's not often you think I'm working too late,' said Thord. 'St Magnus' Mass is tomorrow,' said Bergfinn, 'and we should observe it with all the respect we can.' Then he went away, but Thord kept working away harder than ever. Shortly after that Bergfinn came back and spoke to Thord very angrily. 'If you work on holy days,' he said, 'I shall take it as an act of spite. Stop at once.' Bergfinn went off again in a temper, but Thord kept on working just as before. The household were sitting at table after their meal and just about to start drinking when in came Thord wearing terrible rags and immediately started drinking. He'd taken only one full cup when suddenly he went out of his mind and had to be held and tied up. For six days he stayed that way, then Bergfinn made a vow on his behalf, offered half a mark of silver to the shrine of Earl Magnus, and a three-night vigil by Thord. That very night, following the evening on which the vow was made, Thord was completely cured.

[ ... ] "Then there was a Shetlander called Ogmund. A cross-beam fell on his head and fractured the skull badly. Bergfinn made a vow on his behalf, casting lots to determine whether to promise a pilgrimage to Rome, the freeing of a slave, or a gift of money to the shrine of Earl Magnus, should the man recover. It so happened that money was to be given to the shrine of Earl Magnus, and at once Ogmund was healed. His uncle Bergfinn gave the shrine half a mark as he'd promised."

"There was a woman north in Shetland called Sigrid Sigurd's-Daughter who had been blind from infancy. When she was about twenty her father took her to the shrine of Earl Magnus and made her keep vigil there, giving a great deal of money to the shrine, whereupon she regained her sight."

"Yet another woman from Shetland called Sigrid broke her leg badly, yet when she was taken to Magnus she was completely healed."

[ ... ] "A third Shetland woman called Sigrid, from the isle of Unst, was staying with Thorlak of Baliasta, and on the eve of Magnus' Mass she kept sewing after the others had stopped. Thorlak asked her why she was working so late and she said that she would stop right away, but after Thorlak had left she kept on sewing just as before. When Thorlak came back again he asked why she was behaving so wickedly. 'Clear out,' he said, 'you're not going to work in my house.' She said there was only a little more to be sewn, but kept working till dark, sitting on her bed. When the fire had been lit and people were settling down to eat and drink, she went insane and had to be tied up, staying mad until Thorlak had made a vow on her behalf. He cast lots to discover what he should promise, a pilgrimage to Rome, freedom for a slave, or a gift of money to the shrine of the holy Earl Magnus. Thorlak took her there, she recovered her health, and later went on a pilgrimage to Rome."

[ ... ] "There was a man called Sigurd Tandrason farming north in Shetland, who was possessed by the Devil, so they sewed him up in a cowhide and carried him south to Kirkwall to the holy Earl Magnus where he recovered. Everyone there praised God and his holy and beloved friend, Earl Magnus."

Map of Viking Shetland with Norse forms of the place names.

The church on Egilsay in Orkney, where St Magnus prayed before his martyrdom. The three Shetland "Steeple Kirks" (St Mary's, Ireland; St Laurence's, Papil; and St Magnus', Tingwall) are thought to be similar to the church on Egilsay.

The interior of St Magnus' Cathedral, Kirkwall. The relics of St Magnus were rediscovered in the 20th century, walled up in one of the piers of the Crossing.