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St. Hallvard Vebjørnsson

Feast 05-15

Patron of

About

Hallvard Vebjørnsson was a young Norwegian nobleman of the eleventh century, born into a prominent family near Oslo. His life ended in martyrdom around 1043 when he defended a pregnant thrall woman who had taken refuge with him, fleeing men who accused her of theft. Hallvard refused to surrender her, believing her innocent, and was slain with an arrow; the woman was killed alongside him.

According to tradition, his body was placed in a boat with a stone and set adrift, yet the vessel floated miraculously upstream, revealing his innocence. From that miracle he became patron saint of Oslo, honored as a defender of the innocent and a champion of justice for the weak.

the oppressed, oppressed, oppression, the downtrodden, the marginalized, the exploited, the afflicted, oppressed people, victims of injustice, the subjugated, the persecuted, protection, protect, protection from harm, safety, safekeeping, guardianship, shelter, protection from evil, safekeeping from danger, preservation, divine protection, martyrs, martyr, martyrdom, martyred, witnesses, dying for the faith, christian martyrs, martyrs of the church, religious martyrs, persecuted to death, faithful martyrs

Suggested prayer

O God, who crowned St. Hallvard with martyrdom for defending the innocent, grant through his intercession that we may be courageous in protecting the weak and steadfast in the cause of justice. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sources

Other saints to pray to

For the oppressed

For protection