CONCERNING ST. NITHARD, PRIEST AND MARTYR, IN SWEDEN.
AROUND THE YEAR OF CHRIST 840
CommentaryNithard, Priest and Martyr, in Sweden (Saint)
G. H.
[1] Among the apostolic men who first went to Sweden for the sake of preaching the Gospel, are mentioned Gaudbert the Bishop, surnamed Simon, an assistant in the legation of St. Anschar, Archbishop of Hamburg, and his companion on the journey and nephew, St. Nithard, St. Nithard, companion of Bishop Gaudbert, the Protomartyr of that kingdom: whom, being about to treat shortly of St. Anschar, we record on this day, because his feast day is unknown. We treated of Gaudbert on February 2 among the Martyrs of Ebbeckestorp, chapter 4, and shall treat again below in the Acts of St. Anschar, chapter 6, where it is narrated at number 21 that he came to the regions of the Swedes, in the conversion of the Swedes, was honorably received by the King and the people, publicly preached the Gospel of the faith, and began to build a church there: but at number 23 it is said that the people of the Swedes, instigated by the devil, inflamed by the fervor of zeal, treacherously persecuted the aforesaid Bishop Gaudbert: whence it came about that a certain part of the people, by a unanimous conspiracy, for the purpose of plundering, burst into the house in which he was staying, and indeed killed his nephew, he is slain by the sword, named Nithard, by the sword, and striking him down out of hatred for the Christian name, made him a Martyr of God. But they bound Gaudbert himself with the other companions who were present with him, and plundering everything they could find among them, and subjecting them to insult and reproach, expelled them from their territory. In a popular conspiracy, This however was done not by royal command, but was perpetrated only by a popular conspiracy. Thus in the Acts of St. Anschar, which also exist as excerpts in Chesne, volume 3 of the Writers of the History of the Franks; where however Hithard is written.