The cult of St. Olaf among sea merchants and its manifestation in testaments of Lübeck "Bergenfahrer"

St. Olaf was one of the most vivid symbols of religious life in the northern part of medieval Europe. Many churches devoted to him were scattered across Scandinavian countries and his resting place in Nidaros (Trondheim) cathedral attracted numerous believers. As a patron saint of Norwegian kings and various organizations he seems to be a religious icon that permeated into some lay aspects of life, including the economic sphere. Although relatedness of his cult to sea is apparent in the oldest liturgical texts, Scandinavian sources pointed out in this article provide no certain evidence proving its relevancy to sea trade. However, in the Late Middle Ages St. Olaf’s cult gained popularity among the Bergenfahrer – Lübeck sea merchants strongly involved in the commercial activity in Bergen. Testaments left by the Bergenfahrer constitute a set of evidence that illuminates the role that St. Olaf’s cult played among this group of merchants. This role seems to be twofold: St. Olaf’s cult was a symbol which shaped corporate identity of the Bergenfahrer, contributing to the organisational sphere of their activity, and provided spiritual support which shaped personal identity of individual merchants.