Vespers in Uppsala cathedral 1 - Processional, hymn and Angelus

[bawlmerbuoy1]

It is not SECULAR to be in a cathedral at High Mass!!!!

[karpov89]

The people attending this service are certainly not behaving secular so you are right about that..it is vespers not the mass though.

[bawlmerbuoy1]

Sweden will never be Roman Catholic-- it will always be Lutheran.

[karpov89]

But hopefully soon the whole world will be one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church in a single church body, do you not agree?

[bawlmerbuoy1]

Yes, a single church body, but not necessarily under the Pope, whom Protestants must view as only the bishop of Rome.

[karpov89]

Well I would not rule that out though.

[NixonisLord]

@bawlmerbuoy1 it hasn't been Lutheran for generations; it's one of the most atheist/agnostic countries in the world. It will be Muslim before it's Lutheran again.

[karpov89]

@NixonisLord You do not seem to know what Lutheranism is.

[Iggy3d]

I always thought that Sweden is the ideal place for the Roman Catholic Church to grow. The Lutheran Church is poluted with rampant secularism.

[karpov89]

How come you thought that before and why have you changed your mind?!

[JoeNYCBoi]

Thanks for the reply!

I actually found the words online in a Finnish-Swedish hymnal: "Församlingen sjunger". It's a shame it's not in our Hymnal 1982.

It's fascinating for me to experience the similarities of Christian tradition across different cultures, and the slight changes each culture adds to make it their own.

Thanks for posting this and giving us a glimpse into Christian customs around the world. Distance may separate us, but we're united by more things than we know.

[karpov89]

There are indeed a treasure of hymns [which are not German or English translations] in the Swedish book of hymns, for example the hymns by Lina Sandell Berg (some are translated).

Well I must say the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden do have more in common with the Episcopalian church than lutheran churches in North America as they have a different view of the church - no bishops, no priests and deacons who are properly ordained.

[901cleo]

I agree with you. I am a US Episcopalian and besides the obvious language difference, this looks like one of our services. Pax.

[karpov89]

Pax et bonum!

[JoeNYCBoi]

Wow, what a wonderful celebration! I'm Episcopalian, and though my church celebrates Vespers, it's usually short and spoken since most people here prefer to go to Sunday Eucharist instead of to daily prayers. I'd go every day if it was done with this kind of devotion.

I've never heard this hymn before; it's absolutely beautiful! I wonder if it exists in English translation. If not, I think it should. :-)

[karpov89]

Thanks, nice to hear! Well another word for vespers is 'Evening song' so most parts of it should be sung. Vespers is also a good service for ecumenical purposes when you can not celebrate the mass together (here a catholic priest is holding the sermon).

The hymn is number 161 (first 325 hymns are ecumenical, the catholics, baptists etc have the same) in the Book of Hymns of the Church of Sweden. Lyrics by Paul Nilsson (1934), music by Melchior Vulpius (1609).