Portal:Catholic Church/Patron Archive/July 20 2007

Saint Thorlac Thorhalli (Old Norse: Þorlákr Þórhallsson, Icelandic: Þorlákur (helgi) Þórhallsson) (1133 – December 23, 1193) is the patron saint of Iceland. He was bishop of Skalholt from 1178. His status as a saint was confirmed in 1198 by the Althing, but this was never made official by the Catholic Church until January 14, 1984, when John Paul II canonized him officially and declared him the patron saint of Iceland.

Of an aristocratic family, Thorlac was ordained deacon before he was fifteen and consecrated a priest at the age of eighteen. He studied abroad at Paris and Lincoln for about six years (he may also have visited London).

Returning to Iceland in 1161, Thorlac founded an Augustinian monastery at Þykkvibær after refusing to marry a rich widow. There he devoted himself to a strictly religious life, refusing to marry (many other Icelandic priests were married) and devoting himself to reciting the Our Father, the Creed, and a hymn, as well as fifty Psalms.

He was consecrated as bishop by Augustine of Nidaros and worked to regulate the Augustinian Rule in Iceland, as well as eradicate simony, lay patronage, and clerical incontinency.

Attributes: Patronage: Iceland Prayer: