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St. Anskar's Day
February 3
Saint
Anskar, also known as Ansgar, Anschar, Anscharius, and Scharies is the Patron Saint of Denmark,
Iceland, and Norway.
Ansgar was born near Amiens, Picardy, France, in 801 into a noble
family. He was a Benedictine monk at the Old Corbie Abbey in
Picardy and New Corbie in Westphalia. He accompanied King
Harold to Denmark when the exiled king returned home. He
founded the first Christian church in Sweden c.832. He
became Abbot of New Corbie c.834., Archbishop of Hamburg, ordained by
Pope Gregory IV. He established the first Christian school in
Denmark, but was run out by pagans, and the school was burned to the
ground. He campaigned against slavery. He died in Bremen,
Germany on February 3, 865. After his death most of his gains
for the Church were lost to resurgent paganism.
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