Saint Sigfrid
- Also known as
-
Sigfrid of Wexlow;
Sigfrid of Vaexjoe;
Apostle of Sweden
- Memorial
- 15 February
- Profile
- Priest at York and/or Glastonbury in England.
Monk.
Evangelized in Norway, Sweden, Denmark.
Converted Olaf, King of Sweden.
While Sigfrid was away on a mission, his three nephews (Saints Winaman, Unaman and Sunaman), who had come to help with the work in Sweden, were beheaded by pagan raiders.
Sigfrid returned, recovered their heads, and claimed they could talk, a claim that terrorized the pagans.
King Olaf decided to execute the murderers, but Sigfrid spoke against capital punishment and the killers were spared.
Olaf then ordered them to pay a large fine, but Sigfrid refused the blood money, and thus achieved such a moral high ground that his missions became even more successful.
- Born
- at Glastonbury, England
- Died
- c.1045 at Vaexjoe, Sweden
- Canonized
- by Pope Adrian IV
- Patronage
- Sweden
- Representation
-
travelling in a ship with two fellow bishops;
baptizing King Olaf of Sweden;
bishop menaced by devils;
bishop carrying three severed heads;
bishop carrying three loaves of bread (misrepresentation of the heads)
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