The Diocese of Hamar () is a diocese within the Church of Norway. The Diocese of Hamar includes all of the churches in Innlandet county plus the churches in Lunner Municipality in Akershus county. Administratively, the diocese is divided into 10 deaneries and 164 parishes in the diocese. The seat of the Diocese of Hamar is located at the Hamar Cathedral () in the city of Hamar.
History The Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamar was formed in the year 1152 when it was separated from the Diocese of Oslo. At the time of the Protestant Reformation in Norway in 1536, the archbishop and the bishops were removed and the Diocese of Hamar once again came under the Diocese of Christiania within the new Lutheran Church of Norway. Mogens Lauritsson was the last Roman Catholic bishop of the Ancient Diocese of Hamar.
In 1864, the Lutheran Diocese of Hamar was established when it was separated from the Diocese of Christiania (Christiania was the name of Oslo between 1624 and 1924). Halvor Olsen Folkestad was the first bishop of this new Diocese of Hamar. Hamar Cathedral was consecrated on 15 December 1866 and it was established as the seat of the new Diocese of Hamar. On 1 January 2022, the churches in Jevnaker Municipality were transferred to the Ringerike prosti in the Diocese of Tunsberg.
In 2007, all the parishes in Ringsaker Municipality were transferred out of the Hamar domprosti and into the newly created Ringsaker prosti that was based in Moelv at Ringsaker Church. On 1 January 2025, the Ringsaker prosti was merged (back) into the Hamar domprosti once again.
Structure The Diocese of Hamar is divided into nine deaneries () spread out over Innlandet and Akershus counties. Each deanery corresponds a geographical area, usually one or more municipalities within the diocese. Each municipality is further divided into one or more parishes which each contain one or more congregations.
Deanery () Municipalities County LocationHamar domprostiHamar, Løten, Ringsaker, StangeInnlandetSolør, Vinger og Odal prostiKongsvinger, Eidskog, Sør-Odal, Nord-Odal, Grue, Åsnes, VålerSør-Østerdal prostiÅmot, Elverum, Trysil, Engerdal, Stor-ElvdalNord-Østerdal prostiTynset, Alvdal, Folldal, Rendalen, Tolga, OsNord-Gudbrandsdal prostiDovre, Lesja, Lom, Nord-Fron, Sel, Skjåk, VågåSør-Gudbrandsdal prostiGausdal, Lillehammer, Ringebu, Sør-Fron, ØyerToten prostiGjøvik, Østre Toten, Vestre TotenValdres prostiSør-Aurdal, Nord-Aurdal, Etnedal, Øystre Slidre, Vestre Slidre, VangHadeland og Land prostiGran, Søndre Land, Nordre LandLunnerAkershusSee also: List of churches in Hamar
List of bishops The following bishops have led the diocese since its creation in 1864: 1864–1887: Halvor Olsen Folkestad 1887–1906: Arnoldus Hille 1906–1917: Christen Brun 1917–1918: Otto Jensen 1918–1922: Gustav Johan Fredrik Dietrichson 1922–1934: Mikkel Bjønness-Jacobsen 1934–1942: Henrik Hille 1942–1943: Georg Falck-Hansen (appointed by Nasjonal Samling) 1943–1945: Sigurd Haga (appointed by Nasjonal Samling) 1945–1947: Henrik Hille 1947–1964: Kristian Schjelderup 1964–1974: Alexander Johnson 1974–1993: Georg Hille 1993–2006: Rosemarie Köhn 2006–2023: Solveig Fiske 2023–present: Ole Kristian Bonden
References
External links Hamar bispedømme Norges Kirker