Catholic Church in the Faroe Islands

The Catholic Church in the Faroe Islands (Faroese: Katólska Kirkjan í Føroyum) goes back to the year 999, when king Olav Tryggvason of Norway sent Sigmundur Brestisson on a mission to the islands with several priests. The islands became an independent diocese in 1111, but were officially reformed in 1537 and the last Catholic bishop was executed in 1538. After 1538, the Catholic Church was only revived in 1931 as a part of the bishopric of Copenhagen. The state church is now the Protestant Faroese People's Church.

Today there are about 270 Catholics from over 23 nations living on the Faroe Islands. Their center of worship is Mariukirkjan (St Mary's Church) in Tórshavn, the only Catholic church on the Faroes. Although the Catholic presence is small, the Church has had a large impact through the St. Francis school, run by the Franciscan Sisters since its establishment in 1933.