Ólafía

A play about the life and work of Ólafía Jóhannsdóttir, who lived in Norway for 17 years and did her remarkable work among the poorest of the poor: people living on the streets, prostitutes, alcoholics and those suffering from syphilis. Many theologians compare Ólafía to Hallgrímur Pétursson and Rev. Friðrik Friðriksson; some call her the Mother Teresa of the North, and it has been said that if Norway had saints, Ólafía would be first among them. In central Oslo, on Brugata, stands a memorial with a bust of a woman in Icelandic national dress. Beneath it is written: “Ólafía Jóhannsdóttir. Born in Iceland 1864, died 1924. Friend of the unfortunate.” The play was performed in churches in South Iceland.