torsdag 2 oktober 2014

Gotland's Oldest Votive Ship

I took a break from blogging and am trying to get back to doing it on a regular basis.


The picture shows the oldest votive ship on Gotland. You can find it in the small church in the parish of Västergarn, 30 minutes south of Visby. The ship was given to the church in 1637 by the local harbour bailiff Marcus Schröder.

During that time the island of Gotland was under Danish rule but the church was under the diocese of Linköping in Sweden. Marcus Schröder is believed to have come to Gotland as a skipper, shipping German refugees from Eckenförde. The thirty year war between catholics and protestans was in full bloom in Europe.

The votive ship is a full-rigged ship with square-sails on all three masts. The type of ship is known as a frigate. This one has 48 canons which makes it a naval ship

There are golden inscriptions on the ship in German:
Starboard: Gott Zur Ehr, der Jugend zur Lehr, Der Kirchen zum Zihrrat
God to honour, Youth to learn, the Church as an ornament.

Port: Marckes Schröder dieses Schip verehret hat. 1637
Marckes Schröder has donated this ship. 1637

Marcus Schröder became an important man on Gotland. He was its first lime squire and also a member of parliament. He perished during a voyage between Lübeck and Visby in 1661.

Source: Kyrkfönstret, Klinte pastorats kyrkoblad 2014 Nr 2.


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