Kullings-Skövde Helena
ORDINIS HELENIUM
HELENA NEWS 2004
The news are presented sequestered from their contexts, lest they could
disappear in the bulky compilation:
Three sensational finds were made this year:
1)
That Sven Estridsen, the king of Denmark from 1048, did
have a daughter namned Gunhild-Helena.
2)
That it is not a dream but maybe a fact that Fagerlind
got informed by the Dorcas Society about a cult of Elin in Kinneved-Varkumla: a
chapel and a source are indeed included in the story. It must be evaluated if it
was Lena J (1802-65) who was intended.
3)
That Nicolaus Rabenius himself did study swedish
medieval history - he wrote on the subject too
- showing how it was
possible for him to encounter the cult and seal of St. Helena.
To 1:2 new: About the name)As a personal name, Lena is derived via
Magdalena from Mary of the city of Magdala (Matt.27:55,
Mark 15:40, Luk.8:2). As a swedish locality name, Lena is to do with a
slope. Elin is not derived from Helena, and none of these two personal names
have a germanic origin. Helena is from Brauron, and Elin originally meant 'water-well'
or the 'runlet from a well' in Sweden and Norway. Before the christianization,
the heathens started comprehending Elin as the name of the entity of the well,
the power who endowed the water with its virtue. Later this entity was
christianized, and was turned into our saint. Alternatively, 'Elin' may be
derived from aella = ~mother earth, grandmother, cf aellimodher = the eldest and
wisest woman in the neighbourhood.
To 9: About Helena Guttorm's daughter) <...Skodbek), whereas in
reality Guthorm before 1170 placed an anonymous daughter in Vreta nunnery, where
she remained, bringing along the donation of two premises in Sexsio/Sergsjo. ...escutcheon,
having an eagle's foot in a tripartition, is hanging...>
To 10:3 new: About the descension) Like Athena fully grown and clad in
armour sprang from the head of Zeus with a loud warcry, our Helena had fully
glorified risen from the motherly womb of the church. She was a good daughter
and offered oftentimes a valuable backing to her mother and the servants of the
latter. They, in their turn, showed her a great devotion singing her praise. She
had the best of terms with the people; she accepted what they afforded to give
her, and she gave what she was able to give. If anyone, out of curiosity or
sense of materialistic order, asked: "What and where was Helena before all
this?", not much was answered; everything faded into a distant beyond. (HO
Ostberg)
To 12:7: About the sister of Blot-Sven) The father of the siblings,
Ingvar Vittfarne, died in 1041, whereas Helena, the queen of king Inge senior,
lived past 1110, and thus she was too old a widow to match the age of St Helena
of the brynolfian legend, and being such a methuselah she would not have coped
with fulfilling her Jerusalem expedition, which was not, anyroad, feasible until
after 1124.
To 15: About the locality issue) <...at Husaby. "The double-name
of Gunhild-Helena (in analogy to that of king Anund-Jakob) is in fact fully
validated among king Sven-Magnus (sic) Estridsen's own family members. A
daughter of hisn born between 1051 and 1054, who otherwise is mentioned nowhere,
has effectuated that, on a preserved and artistic crucifix, she was inscribed
with latin letters and runes by both her names: "Whoever who sees me: may
you pray to Christ for Helene, the daughter of king Svend Magnus, who let me be
made as a memorial of the passion of the Lord. Whoever who believes in the
crucified Christ may in his prayer remember Luitger, who elaborated me under the
power of Helene, who also is yclept Gunhild", and "Gunhilt" runes
withal. This crucifix is represented on p.471 in Danmarks Riges Historie part I.
She had at least eight saints among her family members...". Miracles..>
Rearrange: <If this were.. ..70 years earlier> must precede <Miracles..>.
To 16:2: About a local nunnery) <..walking range.. A papal writ from
1191/92 proves that a functional nunnery existed in Gothland in 1159/60>
To 16:4: About early monasteries) <...used to be. Gunhild, the
divorcee of Sven Estridsen (1020-28/4.1076), founded maybe Gudhem nunnery in the
1060:ies. In the 1990:ies S Tomtlund made efforts to achieve permission to erect
a monument there to honour her>
To 24:1: About Helena's daughter) ...anywhere. In the 1120:ies Helena's
still young daughter lived at Vreta nunnery, which had existed as many years as
she herself had lived. She came to a nun, who was busy laundering, and asked
"Have you seen my mother?". The nun wondered "Who is your mother,
then?"; the daughter replied "Grand Elin is my mother!" When she
had grewn up a little bit more, she'd become so similar to her mother as how
nobody could tell who was who of them. [Was Helena married?...
To 26:2 new: About who the son-in-law was) One more circumstance which
proves that St Helena is not identical to her namesake, the queen of king Inge
senior, is that all the sons-in-law of the queen (Magnus Barfod, Nils Svensson,
Bjorn Jarnsida and Mstislav) are well-known, and that their fates are
incompatible with that of the son-in-law of the brynolfian Helena legend.
To 37:2 last: About the female protomartyr of Sweden) ...been men.
"No [woman] had had the opportunity to merit the saintly halo. The only one
who... could be voted, was a proper daughter of the church itself".
To 38:6A: About her martyrdom) <...exactly where. In the description
of the vitreous mosaic of Saint Helena from 1956 in Scara Cathedral (see 143)
you can read "Elin of Skovde with a sword in her hand because she was
beheaded".
Till/To 38:6E: correction in the english version only: She, according to
some, was beaten to death...>
To 38:7 new: About the title of martyr)If it was Anti-Christ who needed a
tool to stop the advance of Helena withal and therefore employed her son-in-law,
analogously to how Judas was utilized for delivering Jesus, then Anti-Christ,
and not the revengers, is the cause of Helena's death
- analogously too to that
these didn't have in mind to punish the killers of the son-in-law, but instead
Helena, on whom they projected all blame. If Helena had been killed in a common
vendetta, that would not have made her a xtian martyr. The enemies of Christ and
not those of Helena did create our saint. As to Jesus, Judas was too an
important cog in God's salvation plan, since Jesus needs had to be offered
according to it. As to Helena, God wished to render her perfect by dint of
forcing her through suffering and martyrdom
- so both Judas and the
revengers served, unawares, God in the final end!? (xtian logics)
To 41: About the date of an indulgency letter) <...1480, (3/12?),
bishop..>
To 43:2 last: About the book)The parson of Skovde, M Eriksson, has in a
correct way stated in the folder of Forum Helena that we don't know much more
about Saint Helena than what bishop Brynolf tells us. That the book, which
Helena clasps on her representations, were a Bible, the same parson takes for
granted though.
To 47:1 About the transport to the funeral) <...hunch of. At Skovde it
is claimed nowadays that two monks carried Helena back to Skovde Church, where
she was going to get buried, after she had been killed on her way to the city of
Gotene: Now: Why TWO monks? And "back to"...; she did live at Gotene!
Did she start her trip from Skovde Church? Why, it wasn't even built at the time
of her death. And Gotene was a big, rural estate; there has never been a
township there, and the present borough was founded not more than 100 years ago.
To 54:2: About the owner of the guild seal) <...1717; obviously not
interred at Hedemora. He had studied the history of Sweden and had written
treatises on this subject, which explains how he got in contact with St. Helena
and her seal>
To 58 (cf 21f), last: About the prepared grave) Our venerable king
Sven-Magnus Estridsen was, in full analogy to St Helena, buried in a crypt that
he had designed himself and in a church-under-construction that he had partly
financed (at Roskilde). He died of fever at Soderup Royal Estate in Slesvig
28/4.1076, and was transferred to Sjalland and was buried in the church that he
and bishop Vilhelm had started to build: the bishop was buried at the same time,
since he died of sorrow for Sven's sake.
To 63:2 new: A description of the cultus of Helena, written by a
non-faithful) "Helena had her first receptions by the SOURCE, and even
after she had moved unto the CHURCH, she still was sought in her old place by
some of her devotees. In order to satisfy them, and maybe mainly since it was
combined with a benefit, the priesthood held a protecting hand over this
activity too: an oratory was built over the source, and visitors were encouraged
through repeated promises of indulgency. Helena maintained her old divine
nymphean character down to the bitter end that the protestants caused her
- but her cult hasn't really
ever succumbed, by Jove -
and when the worship of her emerged elsewhere, it was there too
associated with sources: It is probable that the pilgrimages to the source were
the highlights of the Helenian Feasts; they were the aspects of them that had
the best value to imitate and take on. The Feasts were in course of time
celebrated both 30 and 31/7 in the most beautiful part of the summer and when
people had the least bad conscience for idling a few moments and for recreation
and spiritual evolution during the entire long year of God. Those, who fared up
to Skovde on different roads at the end of July to partake in these Feasts, were
not all crippled, antediluvian or penitential having distresed hearts, clad in
sackcloth and strewed with ashes: They were of all ages and mainly young people
wearing their newest suits, having sorrowless minds. The narrow, dark church
could not house very many pilgrims at the same time; many didn't even try to get
in there. But in the procession which wound towards the source across peaceful
and lovely meadows -
people advanced thither in smaller groups too
- there was room for
everybody. The aestival beauty, the cessation of mundane worries, the sensation
of germane unity, and the awareness of the Presence of Her in whose name they
were gathered, disposed the pilgrims for experiencing solemnity, and everyone
spontaneously elevated their outlooks unto Heaven. Today the remembrance of
Sankt Elin is very faded. At Skovde they know one or two things about their
ancient saint, chiefly thanks to books, and in the ex-parish of Elin in Vilske
Herred they point to a hillock near Marbo Farm, on which the small church was
until the 1540:ies. A beloved and durable 'keepsake' of Helena's cult is the
name of Elin, which through the legend has been transferred from the class of
locality names to that of personal names, and which from the start has been
appreciated by all social classes". HO Ostberg distrusts the earthly
existence of St Helena, but in spite of his distrust he speaks about her
Presence and her reception and her giving of gifts. (041117)
To 74 last: Absurd conclusion re the chapel of Elin) <The widespread
stories about captain Elin may have taken its rise, etymologically, in this
chapel, or in the oratory outside Skovde or in Elin's ecclesiastical building
not far from Goteve -
capella Elenae. See 100>
part one ends after 90; part two
starts with 91
To 92:2 new: About Fons Beate Helene) A new slant of regarding our
septentrional Helena is this: Her cult commenced by this source and was moved to
the church in present Skovde, which was dedicated to her. This tenet is based on
the hypothesis that there had existed, by the source, a heathen source cult,
whose nymph Elin had been christianized and had been given human traits,
featuring martyr Helena. A skeleton would have been unearthed at random from a
cemetery to be enshrined as Saint Helena in a special vault.
To 94:2 new: Yet another Helenian source?) One source of St Helena has
existed in Barne Herred too: I can't find it in the parish in mind, Eling, in
the archaeological records though: When the heathen, divine entity of the source
was about to be re-equipped for her xtian career... and whenas the worship of
Helena was established in other places [than at Skovde], it was there too
connected to sources, such as at Gotene, Barne Herred and Tisvilde.
To 97: About the source of Elie) At a stone's cast southeast of one of
them there is, on the slope, a 3.5 m high boulder
- with clear-cut surface pattern
- which is an exact... ...out
of an egg-sized hole with several litres per second.
To 97:2: About the source of Elie) ...-mountain; it measures 2 x 5
yards... ...watering cattle. ('Slab' is more precise, broken off the bed-rock
terrace).
To 100 last: About Elin i Varkumla) The informer, pastor emeritus John
Fagerlind (in duty 1947-71), received this information from the dorcas society,
and its origin may be Lena Jansdotter born 10/10 in 1802 at Smula, dead 4/12 in
1865 at Ullene. She had power over maladies, and knew whither objects had
disappeared; she grew up in the indicated area, and her husband came from
Varskal. Lena and Elin of Goteve may have been interchanged. And thereto Elin
may mean water-source. (Father:
John Goethe 1760-1831. Mother: Annicka Jonasdotter 1759-1815. Lena was the 5th
one of JG's 7 children; she got married in 1825, registered as Helena; bore 3
children. Grandchildren of her nephews are still nicknamed 'of Goethe').
To 102:2 new: Yet another Helenian source?) In September 2002 a Helenian
source was discussed and searched for between Steninge and Haverdal in Halland.
To 106:2 underneath "2)": About the canonization) ...are
described above. As a matter of fact it is considered as self-evident as how the
enshrinement of Helena was effectuated 31/7 1164 at Sens/France BEFORE Stefan
was ordained archbishop, which was realized there one Sunday at the ord of
August in 1164. If the ritual...
To 106:2 underneath "3)": About the canonization) <1185 even
if the monastery had been founded in 1140>
To 107:5: About the 'Spina Vegetabilis' of Brynolf) ...anything like
this! (in 326, where Resurrection Church is built). Brynolf... ...text for it.
(A cross splinter relique from the same find was recently installed in a church
at Malmo).
To 107:5 last: About the 'Spina Vegetabilis' of Brynolf) As a part of the
jubilee program of bishop Brynolf in September 2004 in Scara Cathedral, e.g. a
model of the Crown of Thorns and of the ~12 mm long Spine was exhibited (the
existence of which had been told of in January); thereto a facsimile of Helena's
liturgical text printed in 1498 in the Manual was exhibited, and on a board the
Responsory of the 8:th Lectio was reproduced. The local radio station suggested
that, during the reformation, that famous Spine was walled in somewhere in the
Cathedral.
To 113:2 last: About exemplars) On second thought: our septentrional
Helena, has, by dint of the legend writer's over-benevolence, wound up in a
considerable debt of gratitude towards her elder saint collegian, the far-famed
Helena of Drepanon, the mother of Constantine.
To 113:3 (new): About exemplars) On third thought: Antonia Schmid has
divulged how very much Brynolf did borrow from other hagiographies when he
compiled the text of St. Helena's office. In the 1060:ies the life of Gunhild's,
the divorcee of Sven Estridsen, did become very similar to that of Helena's too,
according to their legends: 1)Both of them had a noble descent. 2)Gunhild's and
Helena's married lives had both ended prematurely. 3)Both of them refused to
remarry; "devoted herself instead, as a servant of the Lord, to a holy
living"; their epitaphs are 'sanctissima'. 4)They gave themselves to
disseminating alms, to penitence, pious actions and hospitality. 5)They
decorated and equipped churches. 6)They owned large premisses in Sweden. 7)They
had strong connexions to Denmark.
To 115:3: About the palladium of Skovde) ...reliques comprised
- the palladium of Skovde:
confer the palladium of the magyars: St Stephan's crown (+1038), and that of
Troy: statue of Goddess of Wisdom -
and they feared that...
To 171 last: About the Isle of Helena) ...and 1949. The partly barren,
partly frondose skerry, is on the chart namelessly: 17 m from land, measuring
~46 x 8 m; at most 3.2 m high. About 15 foliate trees grew upon it, up to 14 m
tall.
Year list ~1083 <Queen Helena (1040-1121), a noble lady of Skovde who
owned Axewalla Castle, burned down the idolatry house of upsala in ~1083. She
had many offsprings; she died of a natural cause in Vreta nunnery 31/12 (cf her
namesake and collegian who died in ~1172 at Linkoping), whereas St. Helena had
but one child and no grandchildren, and was murdered 1/8 1140 close to Gotene
church, and if the saint had been the widow of the first omnipotent king of
Sweden (Inge), Brynolf would not have neglected to mention this. The descents of
both Helenas are unknown, even though the queen maybe was born at Roby near
Slaka within the Ynglinga Clan, and even though the saint maybe was the daughter
of Sven Estridsen and Gunhild. The queen maybe founded Vreta nunnery in 1110,
ten years after she had laid Sweden under the xtian thumb, and, after becoming a
widow, she entered that nunnery herself.
Year list (1164) <...archbishop Eskil. He wrote the oldest preserved
document written in Sweden.>
Year list: <1480, 3/12?,.. ..indulgency parchment letter.>
To Year list: 1717, captain Elin in Warmland was drafted by the devil for
her three years service.
To Year list: 1802-65 Lena, a daughter of John Goethe, lived, who
possessed supernatural capabilities, and whose memorabilia keep commixing with
the cults of other Helenas.
To Year List: 1815-58 the tractate on captain Elin was issued in 12
editions -
a swedish counterpart of the original tractate on Faust from the
beginning of the 16th century.
To the year list)2004 13/6 and 15/6 the allegedly Helenian wells of
Hallstad and Mone were visited, along with the natural copy of the Rinsing
Stone. Both wells are used for watering cattle.
To the year list)2004 16/6: Isle of Saint Helena off Fogdo Peninsula was
visited. It is on the chart of Lake Malaren but without its name, and that's why
it was not found in the 1970:ies and -80:ies.
To the year list)2004 30/7: "In solennitate Sancte Helene" our
beloved saint was celebrated by the faithful where her Order was created in
1991: Ango, Dragsmark, Lysekil and Smogen.
To the year list)2004 18/8, on Helene Regine Day, Helenism was celebrated
by visiting Sjalland/Denmark.
*****