Ancient Diocese of Hamar


The former Norwegian Catholic diocese of Hamar existed from 1152 to 1542, when the Protestant Reformation turned it into a bishopric of the Lutheran state church. The cathedral see was at Hamar, and the diocese included the counties of Hedmark, Oppland, and the middle part of Buskerud. It also included some parts of Telemark.

History

It was formed in 1152 out of the diocese of Oslo, when Arnold, Bishop of Garðar, Greenland, was appointed first Bishop of Hamar. He began to build the now ruined cathedral of Christ Church, which was completed about the time of Bishop Paul.
Bishop Thorfinn was exiled and died at Ter Doest Cistercian Abbey in Lissewege, Flanders. Bishop Jörund was transferred to the archdiocese of Trondhjem. A provincial council was held in 1380.
The last Catholic bishop, Mogens Lauritssøn, was taken prisoner in his castle at Hamar by :no:Truid Ulfstand|Truid Ulfstand, a Danish noble, and sent to Antvorskov in Denmark, where he was held until his death in 1542. There were at Hamar a cathedral chapter with ten canons, a school, a Dominican Priory of St. Olaf, and a monastery of the Canons Regular of St. Anthony of Vienne.

Episcopal ordinaries

;Suffragan Bishops of Hamar