[1] Returning to Iceland in 1165, Thorlak founded a monastery of Canons Regular at Þykkvabær after refusing to marry a rich widow.

Thorlak was consecrated a bishop by Augustine of Nidaros and worked to regulate the Augustinian Rule in Iceland, as well as eradicate simony, lay patronage, and clerical incontinency.

[2] The sacred reliquary of Thorlak was maintained in the Diocese of Skálholt until it was destroyed in the Reformation, and his mortal remains were strewn about the cathedral grounds.

[6] A novena, or nine-day devotional prayer, in honor of Thorlac was approved in May 2018, by the Bishop of Reykjavík, Iceland, for use by all faithful.

The day is also celebrated in the Faroe Islands, where it is called Tollaksmessa (Faroese pronunciation: [ˈtʰɔtlaksˌmɛsːa]).

A group based in the state of New York has advocated for Thorlak becoming the patron saint of people with autism.