Gustaf Sjökvists Kammarkör - Högalidsmässan – The Sanctuary Mass

Facts About Hogalidsmassan - A Sanctuary MassHogalidskyrkan, one of Stockholm's finest examples of National Romantic architecture, was inaugurated on 10 June 1923. The church closed for extensive renovation in March 2021, and Hogalidsmassan - A Sanctuary Mass was commissioned to mark it's centenary. It was premiered in the church on 10 June 2023, as part of the reopening of the renovated interior.The church's architect, Ivar Tengbom, worked closely with Archbishop Nathan Soderblom, sometimes described as the church's 'theological architect'. Soderblom was deeply interested in the ways in which God is understood across different religious traditions. His theology was influenced, among other things, by Persian religion and by the idea of God as the one who holds the whole world in his hand. This holistic vision - of a God embracing the entire universe - is reflected in Hogalidskyrkan and forms an important point of departure for the Mass.Hogalidsmassan draws on the traditional musical and textual structure of the Christian Mass, while presenting it in Swedish. The six movements - Kyrie, Gloria and Laudamus, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei and Benedicamus - bring together tradition and the present in a contemporary liturgical expression.Each movement is connected to objects, spaces and symbols within Hogalidskyrkan, whose rich visual language draws on biblical narratives, church history, the history of religion and contemporary culture. The text and music explore the complexity of creation and human existence, expressing both praise and anguish, God's call and the hope of a God who accompanies us through life.The text was written by Gunilla Linden, who served as vicar of Hogalid Parish from 2018 to 2025. The music was composed by Matthew Peterson.