Laurentius Petri facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Most Reverend Laurentius Petri Nericius
Archbishop of Uppsala Primate of Sweden
Svenskt Biografiskt Handlexikon, 1905
Native name	Lars Petersson från Närke
Church	Church of Sweden
Archdiocese	Uppsala
Province	Sweden
Appointed	1531
In Office	1531–1573
Predecessor	Olaus Magnus
Successor	Laurentius Petri Gothus
Orders
Consecration	22 September 1531 by Peder Månsson
Rank	Metropolitan Archbishop
Personal details
Birth name	Lars
Born	1499 Örebro, Sweden
Died	26 October 1573 Uppsala, Sweden
Buried	Uppsala Cathedral
Nationality	Swede
Denomination	Church of Sweden
Residence	Uppsala
Parents	Peter Olofsson Kristina Larsdotter
Spouse	Elizabeth Didriksdotter
Children	Margaret, Magdalene
Occupation	Archbishop
Profession	Schoolmaster
Education	theological
Alma mater	Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg

Laurentius Petri Nericius (born 1499, died 1573) was a very important Swedish church leader. He became the first ever Evangelical Lutheran Archbishop in Sweden. He and his brother, Olaus Petri, worked closely with King Gustav Vasa to bring the Reformation to Sweden. This changed how people practiced Christianity in the country. People remember them on April 19th in some churches.

Early Life and New Ideas

Laurentius was born Lars Persson in Örebro, Närke, Sweden. In 1520, Laurentius studied in Germany, possibly with his brother. There, they learned about Lutheranism, a new way of thinking about Christianity. They even met Martin Luther, who started the Reformation.

When they returned home, their boat got stuck near the island of Gotland. They both survived and settled on the island. Laurentius became a headmaster at a school. His brother Olaus later traveled to Stockholm and became friends with King Gustav Vasa. This helped the brothers become important figures in the Reformation.

Becoming Archbishop

Breaking with the Old Church

In 1531, King Gustav Vasa made a big decision at the Uppsala Council. He decided to break away from the Roman Catholic Church. The King then personally chose Laurentius to be the new archbishop.

On September 22, 1531, Laurentius was made archbishop by Peder Månsson, who was the Bishop of Västerås. Bishop Månsson had been made a bishop in Rome. By having him consecrate Laurentius, the Church of Sweden kept a special connection to the past. This was called "apostolic succession" and was seen as very important. Even though the ceremony followed old traditions, those involved secretly said they were doing it because the King wanted them to.

A Married Archbishop

Later that year, Laurentius married Elisabeth Didriksdotter. She was a daughter of the King's cousin. This made Laurentius the first Swedish archbishop to be married. His brother Olaus had already been the first priest to marry in 1525.

Working with the King

The King told Laurentius not to get in the way of his plans for the Reformation. Laurentius was smart and defended the Church's independence from the King's ideas. For example, the King wanted to get rid of all bishops. But Laurentius still worked steadily to spread the ideas of the Reformation in Sweden. His most important work was writing many texts. These writings helped create the Swedish Church Ordinance, which was a set of rules for the church. It was put in place at the Uppsala Council 1571.

Laurentius was archbishop for 42 years, which is a very long time in Sweden. During this period, he often had disagreements with the kings. In 1539, his brother Olaus was sentenced to death by the King after some arguments. Laurentius was among those who had to sign the death sentence. People have wondered if Laurentius did this because he was weak, or if he thought it was better to obey so he could keep spreading the Reformation ideas. Olaus was eventually pardoned in 1542, thanks to his powerful friends. After this, Laurentius became the main leader of the Reformation.

Important Works

The Vasa Bible

In 1541, the first complete Swedish translation of the Bible was published. It was called the Vasa Bible after the King. Laurentius was one of the main people who oversaw this huge project. He worked with his brother Olaus and another clergyman, Laurentius Andreae.

Defending Lutheranism

In the 1560s, new ideas from Calvin became popular. Laurentius wrote several texts where he strongly supported Lutheranism. Some people believe this was the first time the Swedish Church clearly said it was Lutheran.

Family Life

Laurentius Petri married Elizabeth Diriksdotter. Her father was Didrik the Mint Master, and her mother was Birgitta Kristiernsdotter Vasa. Birgitta was a cousin of King Gustav I of Sweden. Laurentius and Elizabeth got engaged on September 23, 1531. They had two daughters:

• Margaret, who married Laurentius Petri Gothus. They had two daughters.
• Magdalene, who married Abraham Angermannus.