Norway - A Pilgrimage Route goes ecumenical | European Journal

Published on Aug 9, 2012 by deutschewelleenglish

There are several St Olav Ways and they all lead to the shrine of St Olav in Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim. Taken together, the pilgrimage routes, which crisscross Scandinavia, are five thousand kilometers in length. St Olav was a king of Norway a thousand years ago who did much to Christianize the country. In the wake of the Reformation, pilgrimages to Trondheim in what was now a mainly Protestant country ceased, as they were considered a Catholic activity. Nowadays, more and more people, Norwegians and foreign visitors, are walking the trails. Some say it is a way to experience God, nature and themselves in a new way.