Julotta in Sweden
Julotta i Riddarholmskyrkan
A 2007 invitation to Julotta in Sweden (in Swedish): "Julotta i Riddarholmskyrkan2007-12-25 - 2007-12-25 Julotta 25 december 07:00 Riddarholmskyrkan. Enda chansen på hela året att vara med om en gudstjänst i Riddarholmskyrkan! [Translated: “Julotta” 25. December at 7:00AM, Riddarholms Church. The only chance all year to participate in a service in the Riddarholm Church.] The morning is dark and starlit, the snow glistens in the cold air. It is Christmas morning. The snow on the ground outside the Riddarholm church is trampled by many feet this special morning. From inside the church is heard christmas songs and reflective words. When the door opens a large crowd is celebrating “julotta”. The church is lit by candles – in swedish called “levande ljus”. The mood is warm in spite of the winter cold. Since the church is not heated, we recommend that you dress warmly and bring a blanket to keep warm while seated."
Julotta in Sweden Attending julotta in Sweden is to many Swedish Americans one of the most treasured of memories. Snow is connected with it and sleigh bells and a journey across the countryside in the dark morning hour, brightened by the flickering flames of torches. Many have memories of a city church within walking distance, and they remember with no less feeling of nostalgia how the snow crunched under the feet and how the light streamed out of the windows as they approached the church.
Thus, each one of us gathers memories out of the milieu from which we come. But to all of us the message of Christmas and the singing of "Var hälsad, sköna morgonstund" (literally, be greeted beautiful morning hour) constitute common ground. This hymn is still numbered 55 in the revised hymnal of the Swedish State Church, and the manner in which it is sung each Christmas morning indicates clearly that the congregation knows it by heart. A Minnesota professor of Swedish descent, now deceased, maintained that it was a mistake to sing this hymn in an English translation. It had only one version, according to him, and that was the Swedish. "That is the way I learned it as a child and that is the way I continue to sing it regardless of what the rest of the congregation sings," he would say with an emphatic nod. Each one who has attended early Christmas Day service in a Swedish church could write his own version and each one would be different from the other. A University of Minnesota student who studied in Stockholm a few years ago was a guest of relatives in Skåne at Christmas and attended julotta in a small church there. He gave his impressions of the holidays in a letter this way: "My relatives were among the most generous, most warmhearted, kindest people I have ever known. They seemed so happy to have me and I enjoyed myself so much that I stayed a whole week. There was plenty of food in Skåne! One day I counted seven times at the table. Christmas Eve dinner was eaten by candle light. I insisted on going to julotta, and as they had no car I walked the three miles to the nearest church, the kind of church I had always dreamed of worshipping in for julotta in Sweden. It was set on a high hill in a small village and with the lights from candles, the village Christmas tree lights, and the candlelight from all the village houses, the scene was visible for miles around. It was quite fantastic - a Danish type church, whitewashed, red tile roof, stepped front, and eight centuries old. The inside, lighted with candles, was decorated with evergreens and two large Christmas trees. “Var hälsad, sköna morgonstund” could never have had a more beautiful earthly setting. The minister himself was quite marvelous well padded with good Skåne food, so that his heavy jowls made his bib pop up and down as he preached. His sermon on Saint John's chapter on “The Light” was meaningful and presented in a personal, ordinary tone not always characteristic of Swedish pastors. As I walked home through the woods and hills, the sun came up and I realized that it had been a long time since I had felt such peace and satisfaction."
Julotta in Sweden
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