Two hours west of Hjelle we were out on the coast. A boat was waiting, we boarded and 15 minutes later we could set our feet on the holy island of Selja.
During the last year I have spent time in reflection, silence and prayers on both Lindisfarne and Tautra, and Selja has been high up on my list of places I wanted to visit. Actually my dream to visit Selja was born many years ago when I first heard about the island¨, so when the boat rounded the island and I could see the ruins of the old monastery, I let my tears flow freely.
The legend tells about a young woman, Sunniva, daughter of an Irish king. The king died and Sunniva refused to marry her pagan royal suitor. She had to flee the country, and with her loyal men and woman she filled three boats and let God, wind and water decide the route. They stranded on the Norwegian coast at the island Selja and lived there for several years. The locals did not like the intruders though, and one of the Norwegian nobelmen, Håkon Ladejarl came with his men to fight the new people. Sunniva and all her loyals hid in a cave in the mountain on Selja, and prayed to God to be saved from the brutal Norwegian pagans. Their prayes were heard, the cave collapsed and burried Sunniva and her man.
Years later some sailors passed Selja and saw a bright light over the island. A human head moved in the light and an aromatic smell filled the air. They stopped to capture the head and brought it with them to the king in Nidaros (Trondheim). The king was a christian and understood that the sailors had experienced a miracle. From then on it didn't take long till Norway had its first female saint. Today St. Sunniva is celebrated the 8th of July.
Later a monastery was built on the island, its ruins are still there today. The tower is under renovation and doesn't look quite good today covered in a poisonous green, but exept from that it was easy to imagine what life must have been about here in the mouth of the fjords.
Between the monastery and the cave there is a spring, still today running with fresh water. The legend tells that the water gives you beauty, health and a long life. Marta and her friend drank from the water and washed face, hands and feet. Later in the day they sat in the backseat of our car enjoying themselves with their digital cameras. From the car mirror I saw Marta's beautiful friend photographing herself, looking at the photo and with a sigh bursting out: "No, it didn't help at all!"
This is part three of my travelogue. The other two parts can be read here and here. To be continued....
