The months of April, May and June are, by tradition, the confirmation months in Denmark. All over the country, tens of thousands of young Danes and their families troop into churches to celebrate this milestone in their young lives. Confirmation in the cake? For those new to Denmark, it can be quite a shock to…
At Saint Alban’s Church we are in the middle of the season of Lent. Activation not abstinence? For many, this period of 40 days of fasting and abstinence is the perfect time to break unhealthy habits. For example, some people give up cigarettes, while others stay off alcohol or forgo chocolate. In recent times there…
At St Alban’s Anglican Church (known affectionately by many locals as ‘the English Church’) we are preparing for one of the most significant events of the year: the annual Remembrance Day service on Sunday 13 November at 10:30. Remembrance for all The ceremony is, in many ways, typical of the Remembrance Day services one finds…
On Wednesday 1 June, I attended a memorable and moving ceremony at Thyborøn on the west coast of Jutland. The occasion was the official opening of the Memorial Park at the Sea War Museum, planned to coincide with the centenary of the Battle of Jutland, the most devastating and destructive naval battle of the First…
At Saint Alban’s Church we are busy preparing for one of the most colourful – and tastiest – events of the year: Pentecost. Speaking in tongues Our service, Many Voices, One Spirit, is an annual reminder of the wonderful diversity of our congregation. With over 20 different nationalities worshipping regularly on a Sunday, we are…
The beginning of spring comes late to Denmark. As I write these words, the weather app on my smartphone tells me that there is a 10 degree difference between the temperature here in Copenhagen and the thermometer level in my former home town of Dublin. The weather forecast also warns me against returning the snow…
In the weeks since the appalling atrocities in Paris on the night of November 13, many inspiring stories of bravery and heroism have emerged: the people who shielded others from the terrorists’ bullets, those who ‘played dead’ in order to protect loved ones, and the locals who risked their lives to bring injured strangers to…
I thought there would be greater differences between my life in Ireland and my life here. Of course there are some contrasts. Like most newcomers, I have been struck by some of those wonderful Danish idiosyncrasies. I have marvelled at the prams casually deposited outside shops and cafes – with baby still on board. I…
Rasmussen follows in the footsteps of Jean-Claude Juncker and Angela Merkel,
