Diocese of Växjö
Encyclopedia
The Diocese of Växjö
is one of the 13 dioceses or regional units of the Lutheran Church of Sweden
. It was also a former Roman Catholic bishopric
.
and includes most of the county of Jönköping
at its north end, the southern and central parts of the county of Kalmar
, the island of Öland
in the east, the county of Kronoberg in the south, and a small part of the county of Halland
in the west. The diocese consists of 249 parishes, and has the highest church attendance in Sweden
.
The city of Växjö
is the site of the episcopal see
of Diocese of Växjö. In the twelfth century, the construction of Växjö Cathedral
was begun and hence Växjö grew to become an important religious centre in the Diocese of Växjö. Saint Sigfrid allegedly lived and died in Växjö, and was buried in the cathedral at his death.
comprised the regions Värend and Njudung in Småland
. Its patron saint was Saint Sigfrid, who in 1158 was canonized by Adrian IV and his shrine was, until the Protestant Reformation
, the glory of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and St. Sigfrid at Vexiö.
He had no immediate successors and in 1126 King Sigurd Jorsalafarer of Norway led a crusade to Småland
to Christianize its inhabitants. Little is known about the origin of the diocese. It may have been Danish, or it may have broken loose from the diocese of Linköping
between 1164 and 1170. The second bishop was Stenar, who is mentioned in two letters dating from 1183. In 1191 he quarreled with the Bishop of Linköping concerning the frontiers of their respective dioceses. Stenar was succeeded in 1193 by John Ehrengisleson. In 1205 the biography of St. Sigfrid was written.
Bishop Gregory (about 1241), or his successor, renewed the boundary dispute with the Bishop of Linköping, which was settled by the pope in 1248 or 1249. Bishop Bo (1287–91) appealed in a dispute to the Archbishop of Lund, which was regarded as an insult to the [Archbishop of Uppsala|Archbishop of Upsala]]. Conflict was averted by Bo's death and a declaration of obedience to the Archbishop of Upsala, issued by the chapter of Vexiö. The most famous of the later bishops was Nicolaus Ragvaldi
(1426–38), present at the Council of Basle, and in 1438 translated to Upsala.
The last Roman Catholic bishop was Ingemar Petri (consecrated 1495), who, by judicious concessions, remained at Vexiö until his death in 1530. He took no part in episcopal consecrations during Gustav I Vasa's reign, when the Catholic hierarchy was replaced by the Lutheran state religion. The chapter of Vexiö consisted of dean
, archdeacon
, subdean and eleven prebendaries. There was also a schoolmaster. The cathedral was burnt down in 1740 and rebuilt in 1755. There were apparently no religious houses in the diocese.
Växjö
Växjö is a city and the seat of Växjö Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden with 64 200 inhabitants in 2010. It is the administrative, cultural and industrial centre of Kronoberg County. Furthermore it is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Växjö. It has a population of about 64 200, out of a...
is one of the 13 dioceses or regional units of the Lutheran Church of Sweden
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...
. It was also a former Roman Catholic bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
.
Lutheran diocese
Diocese of Växjö is situated in southern SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and includes most of the county of Jönköping
Jönköping
-Notable people:*Lillian Asplund, RMS Titanic survivor*John Bauer, illustrator, painter*Amy Diamond, singer*Agnetha Fältskog, ABBA*Carl Henrik Fredriksson, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Eurozine*Anders Gustafsson, kayaker, Olympian...
at its north end, the southern and central parts of the county of Kalmar
Kalmar
Kalmar is a city in Småland in the south-east of Sweden, situated by the Baltic Sea. It had 62,767 inhabitants in 2010 and is the seat of Kalmar Municipality. It is also the capital of Kalmar County, which comprises 12 municipalities with a total of 233,776 inhabitants .From the thirteenth to the...
, the island of Öland
Öland
' is the second largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. Öland has an area of 1,342 km² and is located in the Baltic Sea just off the coast of Småland. The island has 25,000 inhabitants, but during Swedish Midsummer it is visited by up to 500,000 people...
in the east, the county of Kronoberg in the south, and a small part of the county of Halland
Halland
' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , on the western coast of Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat.-Administration:...
in the west. The diocese consists of 249 parishes, and has the highest church attendance in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
The city of Växjö
Växjö
Växjö is a city and the seat of Växjö Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden with 64 200 inhabitants in 2010. It is the administrative, cultural and industrial centre of Kronoberg County. Furthermore it is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Växjö. It has a population of about 64 200, out of a...
is the site of the episcopal see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of Diocese of Växjö. In the twelfth century, the construction of Växjö Cathedral
Växjö Cathedral
Växjö Cathedral in the centre of Växjö, Sweden, is the seat of the bishop of the Diocese of Växjö in the Church of Sweden....
was begun and hence Växjö grew to become an important religious centre in the Diocese of Växjö. Saint Sigfrid allegedly lived and died in Växjö, and was buried in the cathedral at his death.
Former Catholic diocese
The ancient episcopal see of VäxjöVäxjö
Växjö is a city and the seat of Växjö Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden with 64 200 inhabitants in 2010. It is the administrative, cultural and industrial centre of Kronoberg County. Furthermore it is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Växjö. It has a population of about 64 200, out of a...
comprised the regions Värend and Njudung in Småland
Småland
' is a historical province in southern Sweden.Småland borders Blekinge, Scania or Skåne, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means Small Lands. . The latinized form Smolandia has been used in other languages...
. Its patron saint was Saint Sigfrid, who in 1158 was canonized by Adrian IV and his shrine was, until the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, the glory of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and St. Sigfrid at Vexiö.
He had no immediate successors and in 1126 King Sigurd Jorsalafarer of Norway led a crusade to Småland
Småland
' is a historical province in southern Sweden.Småland borders Blekinge, Scania or Skåne, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means Small Lands. . The latinized form Smolandia has been used in other languages...
to Christianize its inhabitants. Little is known about the origin of the diocese. It may have been Danish, or it may have broken loose from the diocese of Linköping
Linköping
Linköping is a city in southern middle Sweden, with 104 232 inhabitants in 2010. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 146 736 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...
between 1164 and 1170. The second bishop was Stenar, who is mentioned in two letters dating from 1183. In 1191 he quarreled with the Bishop of Linköping concerning the frontiers of their respective dioceses. Stenar was succeeded in 1193 by John Ehrengisleson. In 1205 the biography of St. Sigfrid was written.
Bishop Gregory (about 1241), or his successor, renewed the boundary dispute with the Bishop of Linköping, which was settled by the pope in 1248 or 1249. Bishop Bo (1287–91) appealed in a dispute to the Archbishop of Lund, which was regarded as an insult to the [Archbishop of Uppsala|Archbishop of Upsala]]. Conflict was averted by Bo's death and a declaration of obedience to the Archbishop of Upsala, issued by the chapter of Vexiö. The most famous of the later bishops was Nicolaus Ragvaldi
Nicolaus Ragvaldi
Nicolaus Ragvaldi was bishop of Växjö and from 1438-1448 archbishop of Uppsala, Sweden...
(1426–38), present at the Council of Basle, and in 1438 translated to Upsala.
The last Roman Catholic bishop was Ingemar Petri (consecrated 1495), who, by judicious concessions, remained at Vexiö until his death in 1530. He took no part in episcopal consecrations during Gustav I Vasa's reign, when the Catholic hierarchy was replaced by the Lutheran state religion. The chapter of Vexiö consisted of dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
, archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
, subdean and eleven prebendaries. There was also a schoolmaster. The cathedral was burnt down in 1740 and rebuilt in 1755. There were apparently no religious houses in the diocese.