The Bishop of Visby Diocese, Sven-Bernhard Fast arriving.
Michael, Camilla's husband, singing in the foregound and Camilla in the background
Mikee in her pew.
Michael taking a photo.
A reading in the Cathedral. Amanda to the left and Caspar holding the Gospel.
The Bishop kissing the Gospel that Caspar holds, while Amanda is returning the candle holder into its stand.
Sven-Bernhard Fast
Two priests and two deacons were to be ordained this Sunday. The ordinands are from left Jael, Benjamin, Katarina and Camilla.
Benjamin had his little son coming up to him during the service.
Camilla
Uppsala Cathedral Choir with Milke Falck as choir leader.
The Bishop and Camilla
Camilla is sworn in as a deacon. Notice Amanda to the right of the Bishop smiling happily at her mother.
Camilla is taking the oath
...while her husband is listening intently, clearly touched by the solemn occasion. AnnKatrin Bosbach is sitting on Michael's right side representing the clergy of the Chapter.
Saying the Creed
Caspar to the very left among the acolytes and Amanda to the right .
A moment of praying.
Camilla praying.
Everyone is praying for Camilla and laying on of hands.The rite of laying on of hands is associated with receiving the Holy Spirit and is used among others in the ordination of bishops, priests and deacons.
They have just finished the laying on of hands and are ready to walk to the next ordinand.
Camilla receives her stole from the Bishop.The stole is a sign of a deacon and is worn over her left shoulder. It originates from the Roman officers that wore a stole too.
Hugging Maja. Maja Inde was Camilla's assistant at the ordination, but more than that, she has been her mentor all through her education.
The Bishop congratulating Camilla.
The Bishop congratulating Camilla.
Receiving the appreciation and applauds from the congregation.
Everyone was crying a little.
Preparing for communion.
Walking out after the service.
Sven-Bernhard Fast with the two newly ordained priests at the outside and closest to him the two deacons
Camilla is drying a tear in the foreground, while Torbjorn Holt, the chairman of the Council of Luteran Churches in London and KG Hammar, the previous archbishop of Sweden with wife Lotta, can be seen in the background. To the left is Magnus Evertsson, Camilla's brother and to the right Colin Menzies, formerly in charge of Church House, the administrative centre of the Anglican Church. And in the middle Michael is hugging Per Anders Sandgren, the rector of the Swedish Church in Oslo.
Maja Inde to the left. Magnus is happily chatting to KG Hammar in the background.
After the ordination.
Maja and Camilla.
Camilla.
Amanda is congratulating Camilla.
Amanda and Camilla.
Jan Cederberg talking to Magnus Evertsson at the reception afterwards.
KG Hammar, ex archbishop of Sweden with his wife Lotta and Torbjorn Holt, chairman of the Council of Lutheran Churches in Great Britain.
Mikee, Maja and Amanda.
Michael is giving a speech to Camilla while Eva Fast (wife of Bishop Sven-Bernhard), Colin Menzies and Camilla are listening.
From left: Inger Hägg, AnnKatrin Bosbach, Bishop Sven-Bernhard, his secretary Rebecka Kinnander, Magnus (Camilla's brother), Sanna Rogberg (once Camilla's maid of honour at her wedding), Carina Etander Riborg (deputy chair to the Church of Sweden Synod) and Jan Cederberg.
Mikee, Amanda, Johan Larsson and Britt Marie Sedwall Larsson (two old friends from Frankfurt) listening to Michael's speech.
Another tear to dry! The lady beside Camilla is archdeacon Elna Wahlgren Lundqvist and then Lotta and KG Hammar (earlier archbishop).
Caspar, Maggan, Torbjorn and Maja listening intently.
Eating in the afternoon with the sun warming all of us. Maggan, Jan, Michael, Amanda and Mikee.
Magnus, Maja, Carina, Sanna (hiding from the relentless sun), Camilla and Caspar.
A walk in the afternoon. Caspar had broken his leg and did his best to limp along with the tough guys (Jan and Michael) on either side of him.
Michael and Camilla with their children Amanda and Caspar are some of our closest friends. Michael is the Rector of the Swedish Church in London. He baptised Eric and Camilla is Eric’s Godmother. Amanda is now studying at university in Lund in Sweden and Caspar is at college in London. Camilla has always helped in the church and is seriously interested in the human and social aspects of what the church does. But she hasn’t had any formal degree supporting those activities.
A few years ago she began her studies to become a deacon in parallel to working at the church. In a family where the church always meant a lot but caring about fellow human beings means even more, the fact that their mother and wife maybe one day would be ordained was very significant. And in June this year it happened. Camilla’s studies were finished and she had passed her exams and we got an invitation to her ordination. It was to take place in Visby, a most beautiful medieval town on an island – Gotland – in the middle of the Baltic. The Bishop of the diocese of Visby is responsible among other things for all the Swedish churches abroad, so it was the natural place for Camilla’s ordination.
Mikee and I went there to celebrate with Camilla and her family and friends. But we also got an opportunity to visit this attractive island in the middle of the sea. In a separate portfolio I am showing a few images of Visby and Gotland and in this slide show I show a set of pictures of the ordination at the Sta Maria Cathedral of Visby and the reception afterwards.
