Christmas Concert for the Benefit of Christian Schools in the Holy Land


Photo: Martin Ancons

091210 The member of the Order, baritone Davor Zovko performed a Christmas Concert for the benefit of Christian schools in the Holy Land. Davor Zovko was accompanied by the music director AnnaMaria Hedin from Stockholm. The concert was performed in the beautiful Elim Baptist Church in Eskilstuna. This concert also gave opportunity for presenting the Christian schools in the Holy Land to the audience of Eskilstuna. The concert was arranged in collaboration with Elim Baptist Parish in Eskilstuna. Valuable help to the organisation of the concert was given by musician and heraldist Fredrik Brodin from Uppsala. This was the second time that a concert for the benefit of Order’s work in the Holy Land was performed in the Elim Church in Esilstuna.

Investiture with H.Em. the Grand Master
Cardinal John Foley

090920 Stockholm September 18th-19th. The Lieutenancy of Sweden celebrated its seventh Investiture. This time the Investiture was celebrated by the Grand Master of the Order, His Eminence Cardinal John Foley, who visited Sweden together with the Vice-Chancellor of the Order, H.E. Msgr. Hans Brouwers. Two Knights and one Lady were invested into the capes of the Order.

The Vigil service was celebrated on Friday. In the presence of the members of the Lieutenancy, the families of the new members and the closest friends of the Order, the capes and the insignia of the new members were blessed. His Eminence the Grand Master reminded us about the essence and the meaning of being a member of the Order. He emphasized that every member of the Order should always have his or her thoughts in the Holy Land. The Grand Master explained how important our presence in the Holy Land is and what does it mean for our Christian brothers and sisters who live there.

The Investiture Mass was celebrated in the beautiful Cathedral of Saint Eric in Stockholm. The Lieutenancies of Germany, England & Wales and Poland, the Magistral Delegation of Norway and the Scandinavian Association of the sovereign Order of Malta, were represented at the Holy Mass with Investiture ceremony. More than 200 other guests celebrated the Holy Mass.


Photo: Isabella Falck

During the dinner that followed the Investiture, H.Em. the Grand Master expressed his joy for seeing the Lieutenancy of Sweden growing with such a good members. His Eminence encouraged us to continue being a good representants of the Order here in Sweden.

During his visit to Sweden, H. Em. Grand Master had even a number of other important meetings and activities, but even few visits to important historical places in Sweden, such as “Gamla Uppsala” and the Cathedral of Uppsala.

For members of the Lieutenancy this Investiture was very inspiriting. The Grand Master’s visit to Sweden showed us that the Leadership of the Order holds us in focus even if we are rather small Lieutenancy. His Eminence the Grand Master expressed several times that the development of our Lieutenancy goes in right direction. The fact that every member of the Lieutenancy had a possibility to meet the Grand Master in a personal conversation was particularly warming for all of us.

Fourth Investiture of the Lieutenancy

07-09-25 Some time in August or September 1372, Birger Ulfsson, son of St. Bridget of Sweden, was invested as knight of the Holy Sepulchre. His investiture is most likely the first historically noted investiture of a Swedish knight of the Holy Sepulchre.

635 years after Birger was made a knight we celebrated our fourth Investiture, also this time in the Cathedral of St. Erik in Stockholm, on the 22nd of September. The Investiture with holy Mass was celebrated by H.E. Bishop Anders Arborelius OCD KC*HS in presence of our Lieutenant H.E. Bo Theutenberg KC*HS. Concelebrants were Msgr. Stjepan Biletic KCHS and the Prior for Norway Fr. Arne Kirsebom SS.CC. KHS. The Grand Prior Coadjutor Fr. Fredrik Emanuelson OMI KHS was in charge for the liturgy. Two Knights from Sweden as well as three Knights and one Dame from Norway were invested and received the insignia of the Order.

Bishop Arborelius OCD emphasized in his homily that members of the Order support the Holy Land, not only by prayers and financial help but foremost by living as exemplary Christians in their communities and in every-day living. Members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre always defend Christian values, even when they are regarded as outdated or even ridiculous, which happens rather often in our secular society.