Roman Catholicism in Iceland

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The Catholic Church in Iceland is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope.

Contents 1 Origin 2 20th century 3 21st century 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Origin

[edit] 20th century

In the twentieth century Iceland had some notable, if at times temporary, converts to the Catholic faith. For a time Halldór Laxness was a Catholic. Although this did not last, his Catholic period is of importance due to his position in modern Icelandic literature. A more consistently Catholic writer in Icelandic was Jón Sveinsson. He moved to France at the age of 13 and became a Jesuit. He remained in the Society of Jesus for the rest of his life. He was a well-liked as a children's book author who wrote in Icelandic and he even appeared on a postage stamp there. In 1989, Pope John Paul II visited Iceland.

[edit] 21st century

The number of Catholics in Iceland, a predominantly Protestant country comprises just under 2% of the population, the second largest denomination in the country. The Diocese of Reykjavik covers the whole of Iceland. There is a cathedral, Christ the King, in Reykjavik and a number of smaller churches and chapels in the larger towns. The Bishop of Reykjavik participates in the Scandinavian Bishops Conference.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Statistics relating to the Catholic Church in Iceland
• Homepage of the Catholic Church in Iceland
• Tourist Guide to Christ the King Cathedral