Johannes Skaar

Who was Johannes Skaar?

Johannes Nilsson Skaar was a Norwegian bishop and hymnologist.

Skaar was born in Øystese, Kvam, Norway in 1828. He received his cand.theol. degree in 1857. Skaar began his career in Skien where he was a chaplain. He went on to be a parish priest in Gjerpen in 1872. In 1885, he was named the bishop of the Diocese of Tromsø. He served in that post until 1892 when he was appointed as the bishop of the Diocese of Nidaros. He served there until his death in 1904. He was decorated a Knight of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1887 and then a Commander of the same order in 1893.