Rodulff Explained

Rodulff (Rodulf) is claimed by a 15th-century chronicle Chronicon episcoporum Finlandensium to have worked as a missionary "bishop" in Finland after Bishop Henry had died in the 1150s.[1] [2] Rodulff was allegedly from Västergötland in Sweden.

No historical records of Rodulff survive, and no Bishop or Diocese of Finland is mentioned in a papal letter from 1171 (or 1172) by the seemingly well-informed Pope Alexander III, who otherwise addressed the situation of the church in Finland.[3] However, the Pope mentions that there were preachers, presumably from Sweden, working in Finland and was worried about their bad treatment by the Finns. Pope had earlier in 1165 authorized the first missionary Bishop of Estonia to be appointed, and was a close acquaintance of both Eskil, the Archbishop of Lund, and Stefan, the Archbishop of Uppsala, who both had spent time with him in France where he had been exiled in the 1160s. Following the situation in Estonia, Pope personally interfered in the Estonian mission in 1171.[4]

Furthermore, in a surviving list of Swedish bishoprics from 1164, there is no reference, factual or propagandist, to Finland.[5]

According to the Chronicon, Rodulff was captured and killed by Curonians and succeeded by Bishop Folquinus.

Though other legends possibly place his death in Piispanristi.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Chronicon episcoporum Finlandensium by an unknown writer. Part of the Palmsköld collection. In Latin.
  2. http://www.arkkihiippakunta.fi/cgi-bin/linnea.pl?document=00010750 Brief biography of Rodulff
  3. Web site: Letter by Pope Alexander III to the Archbishop of Uppsala. https://web.archive.org/web/20070927051438/http://193.184.161.234/DF/detail.php?id=24. 2007-09-27. . In Latin. Hosted by the National Archive of Finland. See Web site: Arkistolaitos - Sähköiset palvelut . 2007-05-29 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070608003759/http://www.narc.fi/Arkistolaitos/sahkoiset/ . 2007-06-08 . and Diplomatarium Fennicum from the menu.
  4. See Rebane 2001. Peep Peeter Rebane, From Fulco to Theoderic: The Changing Face of Livonian Mission - Andres Andresen (ed.), Muinaisaja loojangust omariikluse lävele: Puhendusteos Sulev Vahtre 75. sunnipäevaks. Taru: Kleio, pages 37-68. See also Rebane 1989. Peep Peter Rebane, Denmark, the Papacy and the Christianization of Estonia - Michele Maccarrone (ed.), Gli Inizi del Cristianesimo in Livonia-Lettonia: Atti del Colloque internazionale di storia ecclesiastica in occasione dell'VIII centenario della Chiesa in Livonia (1186-1986), Roma 24-25 giugno 1986. Città del Vaticano, pages 171-200.
  5. Suomen varhaiskeskiajan lähteitä, 1989. .
  6. Web site: Geocaching . Geocaching - The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site . 2022-04-17 . www.geocaching.com . en.

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