St. Ansgar (801–865) was a Benedictine monk from Picardy, in northern France, who became the first missionary to Denmark and Sweden, archbishop of Hamburg and later of Bremen, and is honored as the “Apostle of the North.” In spite of Viking raids that burned his cathedral and destroyed much of his work, he never gave up, and he is a patron of Scandinavia and especially of Denmark. His feast day is February 3, the same day as St. Blaise. Below are his story, Scripture and a prayer to St. Ansgar.
A short prayer to St. Ansgar, written for this page:
St. Ansgar, you carried the light of Christ to the peoples of the North and never gave up when your work was destroyed.
Pray for the Church in Scandinavia and for all missionaries,
and give me perseverance when my efforts seem to fail. Amen.
Who was St. Ansgar?
Ansgar was born in 801 near Amiens, in Picardy, and as a boy entered the Benedictine abbey of Corbie, later teaching at its daughter house of New Corbie (Corvey) in Saxony. In 826 he accompanied the Danish king Harald, newly baptized, back to Denmark to preach. In 829 he traveled to Sweden at the invitation of the Swedish king and built the first church in the country at the trading town of Birka.
In 831 he became the first archbishop of Hamburg, with responsibility for missions in Scandinavia. In 845 Vikings sacked and burned Hamburg, destroying the cathedral, the library and the mission school, and Ansgar became archbishop of the united see of Hamburg-Bremen. He returned to Denmark and Sweden, ransomed captives, cared for the poor and sick, and lived as an austere monk. Much of the Christian presence he planted faded after his death, but the faith eventually took root in Scandinavia, and he is remembered as its first apostle. He died in Bremen on February 3, 865.
Scripture
God’s call to bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Isaias 49:6, Douay-Rheims):
And he said: It is a small thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to convert the dregs of Israel. Behold, I have given thee to be the light of the Gentiles, that thou mayst be my salvation even to the farthest part of the earth.
What is St. Ansgar the patron saint of?
- Denmark, Sweden and all of Scandinavia
- Hamburg and Bremen
- Missionaries to Northern Europe
Feast day
The optional memorial of St. Ansgar, bishop, is February 3, the day of his death, which he shares with St. Blaise. See the St. Blaise prayer.
Frequently asked questions
Why is St. Ansgar called the Apostle of the North?
Because he was the first missionary to bring the Gospel to Denmark and Sweden.
What is St. Ansgar the patron saint of?
Denmark and Scandinavia.
When is his feast day?
February 3.
More saints
- St. Olaf, patron saint of Norway
- St. Boniface
- St. Benedict prayer
- Patron saints of countries
- St. Blaise prayer
- Saint of the day
Texts and sources
- Isaias 49:6 (Douay-Rheims).