February 3
Saint Ansgar is known as “The Apostle of the North” for his efforts in preaching and teaching the people of the Scandinavian countries, particularly Denmark and Sweden. Because he was Bishop of Hamburg, Germany, he also evangelized there.
Ansgar was born in France and was educated at a Benedictine monastery, where he became a monk. He was assigned to help King Harald of Denmark, an exiled king, evangelize Denmark. King Harald failed to regain his throne, and the evangelization effort also failed. Ansgar returned to Germany.
Ansgar was then made Archbishop of Hamburg, Germany. The Pope agreed that he become a missionary to the Scandinavians (Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) and the Slavs, while also founding a monastery and school in Hamburg. After a failed missionary attempt in Denmark, Ansgar was then appointed Bishop of Bremen, Germany. Ansgar sent a missionary to Denmark and converted the Danish King Haark II. Ansgar then went to Sweden, and the king allowed the missionaries to preach. Ansgar spent two years there and averted a pagan uprising before he returned to Bremen, where he died.
Rembert, in his Life of Ansgar, recounted that he was an extraordinary preacher, and a humble priest. He was devoted to the poor and the sick. He washed their feet, imitating the Lord Jesus, and waited on them at table. Pope Nicholas I declared Ansgar a saint shortly after his death. If we look at the life of Saint Ansgar, we do not see success at every turn. His missionary journeys often ended in failure. His “headquarters” in Hamburg, where he was archbishop, was destroyed by the very people he was trying to convert. But he never gave up. He somehow kept up communication with the leaders of the people he was trying to reach. He was faithful to his mission, even when it seemed to fail. The Christianization of Scandinavia was a long process, but Ansgar planted the seed.
(Image © British Library, no restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons)