Academic Dean Kathleen (Kadi) Billman represented LSTC at the recent Consecration Service of Bishop Antje Jackelén, in Lund, Sweden. The following observations were taken from a letter she addressed to the LSTC community:

"...[I]t was very exciting to see the church in action in another part of the world, and to rejoice in the Christian hospitality offered. I do not think, except on TV, that I have ever seen as many miters and copes in one place as I did this past Sunday! As Mark Bangert and David Miller know, I was not sure how to dress for the celebration, having been invited to bring my miter and robes. I was quickly reassured by Mark that a miter would not be appropriate, but then the question became, “What color vestments?” I had chuckled at the reply I received to my question about the “color of the day” from the Archbishop’s Chaplain (in Sweden the assistants to the bishops are called, “Chaplain to the Bishop”): white is ceremonial, but red is such a cheerful color.

I need not have worried. The bishops and other guests were garbed in “robes of many colors”—each bishop has a lovely cope and matching miter fashioned in particular colors and with particular symbols/art work. One bishop told me that these vestments are often passed from one bishop to another in a diocese—but in his case, since he is so much taller than his predecessor, new ones had to be fashioned for him. The processional was a kaleidoscope of color! I am glad I took the advice to wear the cheerful color. I represented you in an alb and a bright red cope that David helped select for me from the Augustana Chapel sacristy, which made up in brightness for what it lacked in ornamentation (only a simple cross adorned it).

I arrived in Stockholm on Saturday morning and was greeted by Michael, the Archbishop’s Chaplain, who met me at the airport, transported me to the hotel in Uppsala (which is just a few blocks from the cathedral), and gave me a little bag full of information and a service bulletin. I walked to the cathedral for 6 p.m. Vespers (leaving an hour early from the hotel, since I am not known for my sense of direction) and was thrilled to see Antje and Heinz and their family (daughters Johanna and Andrea, Antje’s parents, her brother and his family) and to share in the beautiful evening service.

It was wonderful to know the hymns by tune if not by language. I could translate them in my head, while trying to join in singing the Swedish words. After the service came the rehearsal, and then an elegant dinner in the recently refurbished Archbishop’s home. “Hosts” had been assigned to each guest, and my host was the Archbishop himself, Anders Wejryd. I gulped a little when he offered me his arm to escort me into the feasting room, but he quickly put me at ease with his sense of humor and interested questions and interesting comments. The other dignitaries at the table—three bishops (one of whom had taught Old Testament before becoming a bishop and one of whom is Antje’s predecessor at Lund), the Director of Planning for the church, and the Press Secretary for the Archbishop, were also very interesting and gracious conversation partners. Antje was invited to tell something about herself at the dinner and did her usual marvelous job conveying highlights of her life story with style and grace. In reflecting on language, she shared with us that she and Heinz “fell in love in Swedish,” and I got to see the very building at Uppsala where they met. It was a lovely evening, full of laughter, good food, and conversation.

Antje’s service of consecration was held at 11 a.m. the next day (Sunday). The King and Queen attended and they had special chairs and a special rug under their feet and all the participants in the service were introduced to them and received a handshake following the service (the first time I have ever touched a king or queen!). It was a very special gift to be paired with Antje as communion assistants serving together at one of many, many stations in the huge cathedral. In the early part of the service, one of the bishops said to me, “You will see something happen to Antje through this service.” I tried to imagine what it must have been like for Antje to stand before such a company in front of her (a whole bunch of bishops!) and behind her (hundreds of people, including one king and queen) and to respond, “Ja,” to the ancient questions about how she will exercise her calling as a bishop; to experience the laying on of hands. That was moving, indeed. But more moving still was to stand at her side when her parents and other family members came to take communion from her, eyes filled with tears, and to share the sacrament with one another in the corner of the cathedral where we stood at our post...."

For information directly from the Diocese of Lund, Church of Sweden, go to the website:

http://www.svenskakyrkan.se/lundsstift/index.htm

For more photos go to:

http://www.svenskakyrkan.se/tcrot/ikon-v2/press/0001_lund.htm#TopOfPage

(Our thanks for use of the above photo of the Church leaders outside the Cathedral.)