Gardar was the seat of the bishop in the Norse settlements in
Greenland.  In the sagas, it is told that Sokki Porisson, a
wealthy farmer of the Brattahlid area, launched the idea of a
separate bishop for Greenland in the early 12th century. He got
the approval of the Norwegian King. Most of the clergy would
come from Norway. The first bishop of Gardar, Arnaldur, was
ordained by the Archbishop of Lund in 1124. He arrived in
Greenland in 1126. In the same year he started with the
construction of the cathedral, devoted to St. Nicholas, patron
saint of sailors.  The diocese was first assigned to the
Archbishopric of Bremen. The diocese of Gardar was subject to
the Archbishop of Lund from 1126-1152. In 1152 the diocese of
Greenland, as well as those of Iceland, the Isle of Man, the
Orkney Islands, the Faroer Islands became subject to the newly-
established Archdiocese of Nidaros.  Bishop Arnaldur returned to
Norway in 1150 and became bishop of Hamar in 1152. His successor
was Jon Knutur, who served from 1153-1186.