Öja Church
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Öja Church () is a medieval church in
Öja Öja may refer to: * Öja (Finland), an island in Kokkola region, Finland * Öja, Nynäshamn, an island in the Stockholm archipelago, Sweden * Öja, Gotland, a settlement in Sweden * Ōja Station is a passenger railway station located in the ...
on the Swedish island of
Gotland Gotland (; ; ''Gutland'' in Gutnish), also historically spelled Gottland or Gothland (), is Sweden's largest island. It is also a Provinces of Sweden, province/Counties of Sweden, county (Swedish län), Municipalities of Sweden, municipality, a ...
. The church dates from the 13th century and contains an unusual large and elaborately decorated triumphal cross or rood. It belongs to the
Church of Sweden The Church of Sweden () is an Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden. A former state church, headquartered in Uppsala, with around 5.5 million members at year end 2023, it is the largest Christian denomination in Sweden, the largest List ...
and lies within the
Diocese of Visby The Diocese of Visby () is a division of the Church of Sweden consisting of the island of Gotland. Its seat is Visby Cathedral located in the largest town on Gotland, Visby. The Bishop of Visby is also responsible for the episcopal oversight of ...
.


History

Öja Church is built in a place of ancient cultural traditions. The name, from the Swedish word ''ö'', meaning island, indicates that the place was inhabited before the area became a part of mainland Gotland (through the process of
post-glacial rebound Post-glacial rebound (also called isostatic rebound or crustal rebound) is the rise of land masses after the removal of the huge weight of ice sheets during the last glacial period, which had caused isostatic depression. Post-glacial rebound an ...
), i.e. during the
Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
, sometime between circa 500 BCE and 500 CE. As late as 1987, there were still fields in the area cultivated according to a system of land use which probably developed already then, or possibly even during the
Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
. The first church on the site was built during the 12th century. Of this first Romanesque church, only a few sculpted fragments have survived, incorporated into the presently visible, largely Gothic church. During the 13th century, construction of the present building began. The
choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
with its internal
apse In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault (architecture), vault or semi-dome, also known as an ' ...
was built first, during the first half of the century. The
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
was added after, at the end of the century, while the tower was added during the 14th century. The construction of the church indicates that the original plans did not include a separate tower, but rather a tower above the western end of the nave. Scholars have concluded that the tower was built by a stonemason's workshop which is sometimes referred to by the
notname In art history, a (, "name of necessity" or "contingency name") is an invented name given to an artist whose identity has been lost. The practice arose from the need to give such artists and their typically untitled or generically titled works a ...
Egypticus, which was also active at e.g. Grötlingbo and Hablingo churches, located elsewhere on Gotland. The church has remained largely unchanged since the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, with the exception of the
vestry A vestry was a committee for the local secular and ecclesiastical government of a parish in England, Wales and some English colony, English colonies. At their height, the vestries were the only form of local government in many places and spen ...
which was added in the 19th century.


Architecture

Externally, the church is noteworthy for its unusually well-preserved tower, complete with original
gargoyle In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed Grotesque (architecture), grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from ...
s and gable decorations. The church also has three carved Gothic portals, of which the northern is the mostly richly decorated. This portal is decorated with sculptures of
Jesus Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
, Mary,
John the Evangelist John the Evangelist ( – ) is the name traditionally given to the author of the Gospel of John. Christians have traditionally identified him with John the Apostle, John of Patmos, and John the Presbyter, although there is no consensus on how ...
and a peculiar sculpture of a saint lying down, interpreted as
Saint Eligius Eligius (; 11 June 588 – 1 December 660), venerated as Saint Eligius, was a Frankish goldsmith, courtier, and bishop who was chief counsellor to Dagobert I and later Bishop of Noyon–Tournai. His deeds were recorded in ''Vita Sancti Eligii' ...
. The interior of the church is dark and characterised by the church's sturdy
column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...
s and pillars. The walls are decorated with
mural A mural is any piece of Graphic arts, graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' ...
s dating from the 15th century, depicting the
Passion of Christ The Passion (from latin language, Latin , "to suffer, bear, endure") is the short final period before the death of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus, described in the four canonical gospels. It is commemorated in Christianity every year during Holy ...
and scenes from the childhood of Christ, made by the artist known as the Master of the Passion of Christ. In addition, purely ornamental decoration from the 13th century adorns the vaults, and a few more unusual murals, probably made by an artist from
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
or mainland Sweden, decorate the choir. The church has a large and elaborately carved triumphal cross. It has been executed by a wood-carver, possibly trained in
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, who might also be the artist behind a somewhat similar cross in Fröjel Church and it dates from the late 13th century. The unusually elaborate crucifix has been called "Gotland's most admired wooden sculpture" and "one of Gotland's most well-known medieval pieces of art". Beneath the cross are furthermore copies of two almost equally well-regarded sculptures depicting Mary and St. John (the original sculptures are now in the Museum of Gotland in
Visby Visby () is an urban areas in Sweden, urban area in Sweden and the seat of Gotland Municipality in Gotland County on the island of Gotland with 24,330 inhabitants . Visby is also the episcopal see for the Diocese of Visby. The Hanseatic League, ...
).


Gallery of pictures of the triumphal cross

File:Gotland-Oeja kyrka 06.jpg, The triumphal cross of Öja church and its location in the church File:Gotland-Oeja kyrka Triumpfkreuz 01.jpg, Detail File:Gotland-Oeja kyrka Triumpfkreuz 02.jpg, Detail File:Oeja kyrka Triumpfkreuz - Kopf Christi.jpg, Detail File:Gotland-Oeja Kyrka Triumpfkreuz 07.jpg, Detail


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Oja Romanesque architecture in Sweden Gothic architecture in Sweden Churches in Gotland County Churches in the Diocese of Visby 12th-century churches in Sweden Church frescos in Sweden Churches converted from the Roman Catholic Church to the Church of Sweden