Thorvaldur Kodransson

Monument to Bishop Friðrik and Þorvaldur and Friðrekr. Iceland. Thorvald Kodransson the Far Traveller was one of the first Christian missionaries in Iceland and then in Belarus in the late 10th century. He was native to Iceland but went abroad where he was baptized by one Bishop Friedrich (Friðrekr), a German. The story (þáttr) constitutes a portion of the Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta, with a shorter recension found in the Flateyjarbók, ) benefitted its worshipper by foretelling events, counseling what to do and to avoid, and guarding livestock. Kodran promised to abandon his idol and convert if it could be defeated, and the household spirit capitulated after the bishop pronounced the psalter and repeatedly (3 times) poured holy water on the stone, which seemed to scald him like hot water, and weakening him,

Otherwise, Thorvald had little success with proselytizing mostly in the northerly parts of Iceland during his repatriation, and was subjected to ridicule. They had reached Norway when Hedin (Heðinn), one of the most vociferous antagonists from Iceland caught up with them, and Thorvald ordered a slave to kill Hedin. The Bishop decided he must part ways with the unforgiving acolyte. Refn|Biskupa sögur I, 48–49, quoted by Böndal (tr. into English by Benedikz): "[Þorvaldr] held the greatest dignity in the East.. sent by the Emperor.. as a leader or governor over Russia or the Kingdom of Kiev"