are involved in
the hardships and whirlwinds of persecution. Profoundly impressed
therefore with the responsibility of our position, it is not difficult to
understand how our mind was filled with bitterness by the tearful
lamentations[71-1] which have reached our ears from our beloved children,
the native and other inhabitants of the island of Greenland, a region
situated at the uttermost end of the earth. The island, belonging[71-2]
to the kingdom of Norway, and under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of
the Archbishop of Drontheim,[71-3] received the faith of Christ almost
six[71-4] centuries ago, through the piety of blessed King Olaf, and
preserved it steadfastly and inviolably in accordance with the tradition
of the Roman Church, and the Apostolic See. After their conversion, the
people of this island, with untiring and characteristic devotion, erected
many temples[71-5] to the worship of God and his saints, as well as a
magnificent cathedral,[71-6] in which divine worship was diligently
celebrated, until about thirty[71-7] years ago, when God permitting it, a
barbarous and pagan fleet from neighboring shores[71-8] invaded the
island, laying waste the land with fire and sword, and destroying the
sacred temples. Just nine parish churches were left standing. To these
are attached, it is said, parishes of very great extent. These churches
are left intact, because being situated in the mountain fastnesses, they
were inaccessible to the barbarian hordes, who, after completing their
work of destruction, led captive to their shores the unfortunate
inhabitants of both sexes, and more particularly those who seemed best
able to bear the hardships of servitude and tyranny. But as the same
complaint sets forth, many of these captives, after a time, returned to
their native land. They set to work to rebuild their ruined homes, and
were particularly desirous of restoring divine worship to its former
splendor. Because, however, of their past calamities, as well as the
added trials of famine and want, they had not wherewith to support
priests or bishop. They have been consequently during these thirty years
past without the comfort and ministry of bishop or priest, unless some
one of a very zealous disposition, and at long intervals, and in spite of
danger from the raging sea, ventured to visit the island and minister to
them in those churches which the barbarians had left standing. Having
acquainted us with this deplorable state of af