St. Olaf History

The corner of Second Avenue South and Eighth Street has long been a site for worship in downtown Minneapolis. In 1876, just nine years after Minneapolis was incorporated as a city, the Universalist Society chose this corner to build their church. This choice, however, was thought by some to be too far out of town. Nevertheless, the Church of the Redeemer was built on this site and became the spiritual home to many of the city's most distinguished citizens, including William Washburn, Charles Loring, Alonzo Rand and John Crosby.

Twelve years after the church was built, it was destroyed by fire. Construction of a new church began immediately and the second Church of the Redeemer was dedicated in 1889. it served as a spiritual home for the Universalist Society until 1941 when, because of dwindling membership, it was sold to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis for $112,500. After extensive remodeling in both the upper and lower levels, it was dedicated as St. Olaf Catholic church on June 1, 1941. The name, St. Olaf, commemorating the eleventh century warrior-saint, was chosen because of the city's large Scandinavian population.

The central location of St. Olaf, along with a schedule of sacramental ministry designed for the convenience of the downtown worker, visitor, and resident, brought the Catholic faith life within easy access to thousands of people.

Twelve years after St. Olaf was dedicated, history repeated itself: the church building was again destroyed by fire on February 18, 1953. Adding irony to tragedy, this occurred on Ash Wednesday. Plans for a new church began while the ashes of the old were still smoldering. The new and present St. Olaf was rebuilt and reopened on February 23, 1955, on Ash Wednesday, of course!

In architectural style, the new St. Olaf has little in common with the old. It was built in contemporary design, a bold move at the time but one that has been validated repeatedly, especially after the Second Vatican Council.

The mission of St. Olaf as a "living sign of Christ's saving presence in the heart of the city" has evolved over time. Since the early seventies, St. Olaf has served the poor of the area through an extensive social outreach program. In 1980, the lot adjacent to the church was purchased to provide room for building expansion and parking. The Chapel of Saints John and Paul was a major addition in 1980.

In 1990, a parish center was built which has allowed St. Olaf to become a leader in parish education, programming, and spiritual formation. In 1995, St. Olaf purchased the Exodus Hotel to our south, which is a transitional housing facility for residents who would otherwise be without a safe, clean place to stay. It is likely that St. Olaf is the only church in the nation that is connected to a major city's skyway system, bringing us even more closely into the pulse of downtown Minneapolis.

In 1996, St. Olaf purchased the property on the corner of 9th Street and 2nd Avenue as an investment for the future. The parish created the "Assisi on 9th" park on the site as a haven of rest and beauty for those who work and live downtown.

In 2000, the sanctuary of the church underwent extensive renovation to enhance accessibility, improve lighting and sound, and establish a permanent location for our music ministry. A major addition to the sanctuary as part of this renovation was the new Lively-Fulcher pipe organ, installed in 2001 as St. Olaf celebrated its 60th anniversary. New liturgical furnishings were dedicated in 2001 and 2002.

Today, the Eucharist is celebrated twenty times a week, bringing people throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area together for praise and thanksgiving to our gracious God.

St. Olaf maintains a vibrant liturgical life while also serving as a beacon of hope and charity for those less fortunate. The parish is a center for spiritual enrichment and a center for the arts. Whether people come to pray, to seek consolation, to ask for help, or simply to rest, St. Olaf serves as a peaceful haven of God's grace.

Saint Olaf, Patron of Norway

Olaf Haraldsson (c. 995 - 1030) was born in Ringerike, Norway, the son of Harald Grenske, a Viking lord who died while Olaf was still a young boy. As a young man, Olaf became a Viking warrior and quickly distinguished himself as a leader and strategist, succeeding his father as head of one of a number of extended families who ruled areas of Norway also divided among the Danes and Swedes. It was during a trip to Normandy that Olaf experienced the vibrant life of French Christianity and, exchanging Viking lore for the Christian faith, he was baptized at Rouen. Inspired to unite Norway under Christ, Olaf returned to his native land and won recognition as King of a united Norway over a period of years (1015-1030).

The Christianization of Norway was aided by the synod of Moster which established a legal framework for governance, known as King Olaf's law, which looked to Christ as the standard for action and law. In 1028, however, King Olaf fled to Russia in exile due to an invasion of Norway by King Canute of Denmark. While in exile, where he led an ascetical life marked by prayer and fasting, Olaf had a vision to return to Norway so as to allow God to determine his fate.

And so it was that in 1030 King Olaf returned to Norway in pursuit of God's will. At Stiklestad near Trondheim, Olaf and his outnumbered forces were opposed by Danish and rebel Norwegian troops, forces against whom they fought valiantly until the king fell to the blow of a rebel's axe (symbol of his martyrdom and part of Norway's royal coat of arms). Olaf was subsequently buried in a steep bank by the River Nid, from which soon thereafter a spring flowed forth; the water was accredited with miraculous healing power. The following year, the bishop of Nidaros (Trondheim) declared Olaf worthy of the veneration due a martyr and ordered a chapel built on the spot of Olaf's grave. In 1075 the chapel was replaced by a larger church, which became the Metropolitan Cathedral of Nidaros and Olaf's remains, still intact, were interred under the altar. A century later, in 1164, St. Olaf received pontifical recognition and soon his grave became a popular destination for European pilgrims. It is thus for his faith, his ascetical life, and his heroic death that we honor St. Olaf, the perpetual King of Norway and servant of Christ.