<p>St. Thorfinn was born in Norway and was believed to have been a Cistercian Monk before becoming the Bishop of Hamar.&nbsp; He achieved a fair amount of fame as a saint, but few details are known about his life. &nbsp;</p> <p>St. Thorfinn and many other Bishops of the area disagreed with the sitting King Eric II of Norway, regarding a number of issues, one being the Episcopal elections.&nbsp; King Eric received the nickname &ldquo;Priest hater&rdquo; from his less than successful relations with the Church.&nbsp; There had been an agreement, the &ldquo;Tonsberg Concord&rdquo;, signed in 1277 between King Magnus VI of Norway and Jon Raude, the Archbishop of Nidaros.&nbsp; The agreement confirmed certain privileges of the Clergy, the freedom of Episcopal elections and similar matters. &nbsp;</p> <p>In 1282, King Eric repudiated this agreement, and a fierce dispute between Church and State ensued.&nbsp; Eventually the King outlawed Archbishop Jon Raude and his two chief supporters, Bishop Andres of Oslo, and Bishop Thorfinn of Hamar.&nbsp; Bishop Thorfinn, after many hardships including shipwreck, made his way to the Abbey of Ter Doestat Lissewege, in Belgium.&nbsp; He died there on January 8, 1285.&nbsp; One of the monks at Ter Doest at the time wrote a poem praising the character of Bishop Thorfinn.&nbsp; He remembered Bishop Thorfinn staying in the monastery and the impression he had made of gentle goodness combined with strength.&nbsp; His mild exterior covered a firm will against whatever he esteemed to be evil and ungodly.&nbsp; The monk posted this poem above his tomb. &nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Practical Take Away&nbsp;</strong></span></p> <p>St. Thorfinn was born in Norway and was a Cistercian Monk before becoming the Bishop of Hamar.&nbsp; He achieved a fair amount of fame as a saint, but few details are known about his life.&nbsp; He and two other Bishops went toe to toe with King Eric II of Norway.&nbsp; King Eric repudiated an earlier agreement that gave Clergy privileges for Episcopal elections and similar matters.&nbsp; St. Thorfinn stood up to the King and started forging the separation of Church and State.&nbsp; He is buried at the Cistercian Abbey of Ter Doestat in Belgium.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>