On June 25, the Orthodox Church commemorates Saint David of Munktorp, one of the few Swedish saints who lived during the period when Sweden was being Christianized, before the Great Schism.
Saint David was born to pious Christian parents in England and became a monk in a Cluniac monastery. After hearing about the martyrdom in Sweden of the nephews of Saint Sigfrid’s sister—the holy Unaman, Sunaman, and Vinaman (commemorated on February 15)—he traveled to that country, longing to become a martyr for Christ himself and recognizing the great need for missionary work there.
In the middle of the 11th century, Saint David arrived in Västmanland. With the blessing of Saint Sigfrid, he settled there and built a church and a monastery. It is believed that a small community of monks grew up around him, with Saint David serving as abbot, making this the first monastic foundation in Sweden. Unfortunately, it did not endure. The place later came to be known as Munktorp (“Monks’ Village”), showing that local tradition nevertheless preserved the memory of his monastery.
Saint David spent his nights in prayer and tears. On one occasion, he was seen lifted into the air while praying, surrounded by the uncreated light. During the day, he traveled throughout the region around Munktorp, preaching the Word of God to the pagans, and many were baptized by him in a particular spring that has survived to this day near the church.
The first church built by Saint David was probably made of wood, with an earthen floor and a flat roof. Sometime between 1070 and 1100, a stone church was built on the same site, and it still exists today. The first stone church is the section located to the left of the bell tower in the present-day Munktorp Church.
According to tradition, Saint David reposed in peace on June 25, 1082. It is believed that the large number of pilgrims who came to venerate his relics led to the construction of a larger church directly adjoining the old one. The church is one of the largest rural churches in Sweden.
Saint David’s relics were preserved in the church at Munktorp until 1463, when the Bishop of Västerås, the nearest city, received permission from the Pope in Rome to transfer them to his cathedral. Unfortunately, the relics disappeared during the Reformation when the precious silver reliquary was confiscated by the Swedish king Gustav Vasa.