THE INTERIOR OF ØYER CHURCH
The dominant school of thought in Norway at the time the present church was build was pietism. Before this orthodoxy had focused on the right faith, whereas pietism focused on the right way to experience faith. Rebirth and the new life were major issues, often at the expense of the sacraments, which it was considered could be misused. To which degree pietism featured in Øyer is impossible to tell, but it is both interesting and right to have the distinctive stamp of pietism in mind when looking at a church from this time.
THE ALTAR AND THE ALTARPIECE
The altarpiece
The first Christian altar was the communion table on Maundy Thursday. Later the dining tables in the homes where mass was said served as altars. When the church got its own places of worship, the altar found its permanent place towards east, where the sun rises. In the primitive church and in the Middle Ages a crucifix dominated the altar. Along the far edge was a shelf for the items used during mass. Later this shelf grew to a "board" with painted texts and biblical motives.
In the age of orthodoxy in the 1600's catechismal boards became common. These were altarpieces with written extracts of the catechism on. However, since very few people could read and the congregation sat too far away anyway, they had meaning only for the very few. The painted pieces that came out of the pietism's love for images was a far more powerful way to communicate the gospel.
Detail from the altarpiece
The altarpiece in Øyer church, with its Easter motives, is typical in this respect. The painted motives shows the first communion on Maundy Thursday at the bottom, the crucifixion on Good Friday in the middle, and the resurrection on Easter Sunday on top.
The four carved figures are also typical. Below Moses with the tablet at one side, Christ with the glory, the globe and the cross on the other, as a symbol of the old and the new covenant, the commandments and the gospel. And above, Aron the first liturgist in full garb and John the Baptist with the old testament, the lamb and the pointed finger. All framed by beautiful wood carvings in the acacia style.
Professionals who have compared the styles are convinced that the altarpiece, the pulpit, the lion ornament on the beam above the entrance to the choir and maybe also the ceiling above the baptismal font was carved by the same person, namely Bjørn Bjørnson Olstad (1705-1763) who according to tradition was the master behind these pieces. He came from Nordigard Olstad and was first and foremost a master carver. Bjørn Olstad is believed to be the first wood carver in Gudbrandsdalen to use the acacia style.
Detail from the altarpiece
The painter responsible for the altarpiece is in all probability Eggert Munch, who was the son of the vicar in Vågå.
In the older churches there was no communion rail. People knelt on the floor around the altar. The communion rail was introduced later, for the sake of the old and the disabled.
The altar in Øyer church is uncomplicated and beautiful. The communion table is probably original. According to symbolism and tradition there should be three altar cloths, symbolizing respectively the suffering, the struggling and the triumphant church. The oldest of the cloths was made by the daughter of vicar Nissen, Bolette, sometimes during the mid 1800's. The other clothes are of a more recent date.
In the primitive church (and during the Middle Ages) candles were placed in single holders which stood on the floor. Later the candles were moved on to the altar and the number reduced to two, in accordance with the tradition of the reformed (lutheran) church. Tor Ihles book about Øyer, volume 3, contains an inventory from the church dated 1732. One of the items on this list is " 1 pair of large candlesticks, in brass, mostly used for Vox". It is possible that these are the same as the pair which can be seen on the altar today. The other candle holders are of recent date.
Detail from the altarpiece
The chalice and dish have their root in the Lord's Supper. The oldest chalices were larger than to day and had two handles. The dish was large as well, often with a diameter up to 50 cm. Shape and size of both chalice and dish have changed in accordance with the style of times. As the church grew richer they were made of silver, and got engravings and reliefs.
The inscriptions show that the communion equipment in the Øyer church was donated by Fredrik Monrath and his wife Birgithe, nee Cold, in 1674. A silver box to keep the wafers in is from 1686, and was decorated by the same Birgithe.
THE PULPIT
In the primitive church the text was read from two locations in the church room. On each side of the choir platforms (called ambons) had been erected for this purpose. A staircase led up to each of them. From one were read texts from the Old Testament, Epistles, the Acts and the Book of Revelations. From the other only texts from the Gospels were read.
The pulpit
The texts were read by regular readers (lectors), or sung in order to make the sound carry further and mark with solemnity that these were the words of the Lord. Afterwards the officiating bishop or priest would deliver his sermon while sitting on a chair behind the altar.
During the Middle Ages pulpits was fairly small. In the 1600's pulpits typically became four-sided, one side for each of the four evangelists with their traditional attributes. Man for Matthew, a lion for Mark, an ox for Luke and an eagle for John. These four creatures - mentioned in Ezekiel 10,20 and Revelations 4,6 - represent the creation and was transferred to the four evangelists. The pulpit in Øyer has five sides and none of the mentioned attributes are present, but the size and form is nevertheless typical of the time it was created.
The pulpit
During pietism it was essential to emphasize the Word - also in relation to the Sacraments. This often was expressed visually, by placing the pulpit high - preferably above the altar as a part of the altarpiece as we can see in other churches from this period. This arrangement required space, but also created an opportunity for wood carvers of the time to frolic in the rich possibilities of the acacia style.
Above the pulpit a carved ceiling was erected, with the sun of the Gospel and the dove as the symbol of the spirit. The pulpit in Øyer church thus can be regarded as typical of its time.
As mentioned earlier the pulpit was carved, according to tradition, by Bjørn Olstad. The banisters leading to the pulpit is in late rococo style and totally different from the pulpit itself. The Chief Inspector of Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings considers it possible that Tron Johannessen Hov from Øyer carved the these.
THE BAPTISMAL FONT
The baptismal font
In the primitive church baptismal services were performed in a separate chapel, called the Baptistery. The baptismal font was large, as full submersion was practiced. When the baptismal service was moved into the church the font was placed next to the entrance door - symbolizing that baptism is the entrance to the kingdom of the Lord. After pouring replaced submersion a dish was placed in the font. The dish was adorned with motives symbolizing what baptism is and gives. The font should have a cover and preferably be inside an enclosure.
In the Øyer church the baptismal font is placed within an enclosure with doors that open. The font is eight-sided made of wood, but painted in a way that reminds of stone. The baptismal dish and can is made of brass. The dish has the inscription: "Suffer the small children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for such is the kingdom of God". Above the font is a ceiling similar to that above the pulpit. The sun of the Gospel and the dove as the symbol of the Holy Spirit, who showed itself at the baptism of Christ in river Jordan, is present here as well. It is not known whether this ceiling was made by Bjørn Olstad, or whether it is a later addition.
THE CHOIR ENTRANCE
The choir door
with the lion ornament
The entrance to the choir was always marked by a door or a portal. It was open, so that the congregation could see the altar. On the beam above the portal would be a crucifix, marking the entrance to a particularly sacred room. During pietism the crucifixes were dismantled in many churches and replaced by emblems and initials of Danish-Norwegian kings.
The ornament above choir entrance in the Øyer church show the initials of Christian VI, C6, within a wreath supported by two lions with the royal crown above. The ornament is original and probably carved by Bjørn Olstad. The royal crown is found several places in the church, above the pulpit and the baptismal font. Next to the pulpit is there are paintings of Kristian VI and his queen, Sophie Magdalene.
Christian VI became king in 1730, 5 years after the church was consecrated. This must mean that the lion ornament was not in place when the church was consecrated in 1725, or that the initials where replaced, maybe when Christian VI visited Norway and Gudbrandsdalen in 1733. (Christians father and king before him was Fredrik IV, his initials are in the ornament above the choir entrance in the Tretten church.
EPITAPHS
The Monrath family
Memorial plaques or paintings commemorating the dead are called epitaphs. Øyer Church has two of these. To the left of the altar is the epitaph of the Monrath family. Christian W. Monrath was vicar in Øyer from 1698 to 1738.
Chr. W. Monrath and his wife Susanna, nee Kraft, stand in the middle. He holds a bible and a service book, she a note with a note with the words "Christ is my life, and to die is a honor." The children are arranged on both sides, boys on the right and girls on the left. The children who died young (one boy and three girls) have white dresses, and flowers are placed in front of them on the floor. The size of the dead children indicates their age at the time they died. Behind the family is painted a resurrection motive. The painter is Eggert Munch, the son of a Vågå vicar. The epitaph is dated 1723. Mr. and Mrs. Monrath years of death, 1739 and 1737, was added later.
Epitaph from 1726
On the other side of the altar is the epitaph of Monrath's successor, Anders Wielsgaard and his wife Drude, nee Foss. The artist is unknown. The crypt under the choir floor holds the graves of the Monrath-family. Vicar Wielsgaard is buried under the northern nave.
In the 1600's it became common to donate "tavler" - i.e. paintings, to the church. These paintings are identified by the name of the donator, not the painter. Øyer church has one painting like this, showing the crucified Jesus, with a city in the background. Below is written "Tron Tostensen Wedum, anno 1726". Trond Tostensen Wedum was born in 1711 and too young to have donated the painting himself. He is not mentioned in the church books later so he might well have died in 1726 (when there are no entries in the church book), so maybe the painting was a gift from his parents to remember him.
RESTORATION WORKS
Øyer church went through an extensive around 1880, when a large part of the old interior was removed. The choir portal and the ceiling above the pulpit was taken down, along with the enclosure around the baptismal font. The ceiling was lowered and the walls and furniture painted in brown and gold, in accordance with the style of the day. The photo to the right shows the the church interior as it was until the 1960's.
Interior 1880-1963
In 1963 a major work of restoration was started on again, this time in order to restore the church to its original state. Pieces of the furniture was found partly in the attic and partly in the stables still standing in the church green to the west of the church. Based on these the reconstruction could start, in cooperation with the Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments and Historic buildings.
Source: Historieskrift om Øyer kirke, Øyer parish council 1983