Religion: Hyperborean Bishop

• Share

In Washington's grey, massive St. Patrick's Church last week, three prelates laid their hands on the brown-thatched head of kneeling Johannes Gunnarsson, consecrated him Vicar Apostolic of Iceland, now burgeoning with U. S. troops. By their act they gave Ultima Thule its first native Roman Catholic Bishop in 393 years. Last one was Jon Arason. He and his two sons lost their heads in 1550 opposing Denmark's King Christian III and his edict that the island adopt the motherland's Lutheran faith.

The new Bishop's family has roots deep in Iceland's volcanic soil and history. His grandfather was a leader in the Althing, Iceland's parliament, which dates back to 930. His father, who will be 90 in September, embraced Catholicism while attending school in Denmark. For 20 years he was Iceland's only native Catholic.

Bishop Gunnarsson got his early schooling from Icelandic Jesuits, continued it in Lutheran Denmark, later studied theology in Holland. Ordained in 1924, he returned to Reykjavik, took up his priestly duties at the Cathedral, which is the size of a U. S. Catholic parish church. There he will be enthroned when he returns from the U. S. shortly.

Slight, shy, with clear brown eyes and a strong jaw, the 45-year-old prelate has one of the world's minor sees. There are only three hospitals, three parishes, two elementary schools, 400 Catholics. Of Iceland's 120,000 people, 94,000 are Lutherans. Like those in Denmark, they are High-Church, wear Mass vestments, etc. Some 20,000 Icelanders profess no faith at all. They live on isolated farms, so church-going is a good deal of a chore.