Var Maurus eller Maura Nærøy kirkes dedikasjonshelgen?

• Main Author: Audun Dybdahl
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Novus 2011-11-01
• Series: Collegium Medievale
• Online Access: http://ojs.novus.no/index.php/CM/article/view/51

In 1344 delegates from the county of Outer Namdalen fixed their wax seal to a letter of tribute (hyllingsbrev). The seal shows a bare-legged person with rather short hair. The legend around the edge says that the seal belongs to the congregation of St. Maura's church. There is obvious a contradiction between the figure and the legend. The urgent question is whether a male saint named Maurus or a female saint named Maura was the patron saint of the Nærøy county church. All indications put together, it seems most likely that Maurus was the patron saint, especially because tax lists show that this rare name was used in this area in the 16th century. The article also gives a brief summary of the development of St. Maurus' legend.