Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and all Scandinavia visited the Arctic Circle in the north of Sweden, from Friday, March 18 to Sunday, March 20, 2022, accompanied by the Head of the Metropolitan Church of Oslo, Archimandrite Alexandros Loukatos, on a pastoral visit to the Missionary Community of the Transfiguration of the Savior Överkalix.
Thus, within the Great Lent, and given the lifting of the restrictive measures to combat the pandemic, the Metropolitan was allowed to visit the community of the Transfiguration of the Savior, which was founded in 2000 and belonged to the former Exarchate of the Orthodox Russian Tradition in Western Europe. After the dissolution of the Exarchate, the community became part of the Holy Metropolis of Sweden.
On Friday afternoon, the two clergymen were greeted at Luleå airport by Deacon Urban Widetun and brought to the Metamorphosis chapel, where they were welcomed by Presbyter Benedict Bengt Pohjanen and his wife Monica.
Subsequently, the Metropolitan presided over the Small Compline Service and the Second Stasis of the Salutations in the Chapel of the Transfiguration, which is decorated with more than 100 portable icons, works of Monica Pohjanen.
On Saturday noon, the Metropolitan and Father Alexander attended a luncheon, kindly offered by the Ecclesiastical Council of the above community and followed by a meeting, with the participation of the above, of Fr. Benedict and Deacon Urbanos, during which the gratitude of all was expressed to the Holy Metropolis, for the continued moral and material support. Metropolitan Cleopas congratulated Fr. Benedict for his very commendable missionary, pastoral, and writing work, as well as his wife Monica.
In the afternoon of the same day, the Bishop officiated the Vespers and Orthros Service (according to the Slavonic Typikon) and spoke with the youth of the community.
On Sunday morning, the Metropolitan presided over the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the Chapel of the Transfiguration, with the participation of Fr. Alexander, Fr. Benedict, and Deacon Urbanos. The Divine Liturgy was performed in Greek, Swedish, English, Russian and Finnish.
In his speech, among others, the Bishop said: “We are together today, to prove our unity in Christ, to pray together, to strengthen spiritually”.
“Today the memory of St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki is celebrated. St. Gregory Palamas was a leading Teacher of Orthodox Doctrines and a Proclamation of Divine Grace. The grace of God approaches the man with the Sacraments of the Church, but also asks for our response. Only then does it become active and fruitful.”
He then congratulated the clergy of the community: “I congratulate the very dear Elder Dr. Benedict for his rich writing and translation work in the Swedish language, through which the work of the Fathers of the Orthodox Church in the hospitable country of the Kingdom of Sweden is made known.
“Together with Deacon Urbanos, you are invited to meet the modern requirements of our role as clergy.”
“This chapel is a jewel of Orthodoxy in Northern Sweden.
I bless the distinguished members of your Ecclesiastical Council and congratulate you all for your missionary zeal, which we support in every way, morally and financially.
We look forward to seeing you all at St. George Cathedral in Stockholm. Our clergy will serve with us and the laypeople will participate in the worship gathering in prayer.”
After the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Cleopas consecrated the new hagiographies on the dome of the chapel and offered to the community his studies in English for Saint Nektarios of Pentapolis, and in Swedish the Divine Liturgy, a children’s book, the Salutations to the Theotokos, and the Anavasis of Fr. Eusebius Vittis, offered by the Apostolic ministry of the Church of Greece and its General Director, Metropolitan Agathangelos of Phanar.
The Sunday synaxis was also attended by representatives of the Lutheran Church in the Luleå region, Åsa Nyström, Charlotte Rehnman, and Maria Sundin, and by representatives of the Municipality of Överkalix, Anne Jacobsson and Niclas Hökfors.
Lunch followed at a restaurant in the area and on the afternoon of the same day, the Metropolitan departed for Stockholm, and Father Alexander for Oslo.