A statue of the missionary Sigmundur Brestisson in front of Vesturkirkjan.
"Sigmundur Brestisson (961 - 1005) was a Viking chieftain who, on royal orders, preached the doctrine of Hvíta Krist (Christianity) at the court in Tinganes around the year 1000." (
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Sigmundur Brestisson was the son of Brestir Sigmundsson. In 970, Brestir and his brother Beinir Sigmundsson were killed by the Viking chieftain Tróndur í Gøtu. Sigmundur and his cousin Tóri, who were now both fatherless, were brought up by Tróndur. At one point he sent them to Norway in the hope that they would not return.
In Norway, the two cousins learned about Christianity and became courtiers to Earl Håkon.
988 they sailed back to the Faroe Islands with two ships and 120 men to avenge the murder of their fathers. After several killings of Faroese, peace was made and a verdict was handed down. Earl Håkon ruled that Tróndur í Gøtu should pay a fine for Sigmund's and Tóri's fathers. Sigmundur got half of the Faroe Islands and earl Håkon got the other half. By accepting the verdict, Sigmundur effectively agreed to the Faroe Islands becoming a Norwegian territory.
In 999, Sigmundur was again sent to the Faroe Islands. This time by King Olav Tryggvason, who gave Sigmundur and some priests the task of Christianizing the Faroese. They were to be baptized and trained to become good Christians. Sigmundur and thirty men attacked Tróndur and forced him to convert to Christianity.
However, the Faroese were furious when they were all supposed to be Christians. They thought it was Sigmundur's excuse for taking over the entire Faroe Islands and Sigmundur was close to being killed.
Sigmundur therefore had to choose another way of missionary work. One night he therefore sailed with his crew to Gøta and into Tróndur's farm. Here he threw Tróndur out of bed and gave him the choice between confessing the Christian faith or being beheaded. .Tróndur chose to become a Christian. Sigmundur then converted the Faroese, more or less one by one. (
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The story is written down in the Faroese saga.
The statue is a typical Hans Pauli Olsen sculpture. A main figure on granite and several symbols. Here it is Sigmundur Brestisson who is the main character and a ship on the granite stone symbolizes the journey by ship from Norway.
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