We Believe in Jesus Christ

We had a sweet opportunity of touring one of the older churches here in Denmark today.  It is near Copenhagen and has been a church for royalty for over 1,000 years.  Kind of boggles the mind.  This country is rich with history.

It is a stately brick building that looms large over the surrounding city.  Cobblestones are the groundwork outside of it.  Work began on the church in the 900s.  It has been through a some rough times and been repaired and rebuilt but there is much there from the original.

It is the burial place of kings and queens dating back to the 1400s.  As you walk through the cavernous interior, you see slabs in the tile floor...the slabs are tombstones and inscribed with names and dates and quotes.  There are little chapels and small rooms off the main chapel that entomb past monarchs.

When it was first built, it was a Catholic church, but became Lutheran during the Reformation.  There is a painting of Martin Luther hanging at the end of the great chapel.  The national church is Lutheran, but is simply called Folkekirken or Church of the People.

Throughout our time there the bells of the church pealed out several times.  It is summer, and there were many tourists crowding in to see the old building.  But all seemed to sense the weight of the years that rested there.  The size of the great hall, the echoing sounds that reverberated throughout, the light streaming through the mammoth windows called forth a quiet reverence.

Generations have worshipped there, been christened, married and buried there.  It has always been a church that worshipped the Savior Jesus Christ.  At the heart is a great altarpiece depicting the last mortal days of the Lord....a very moving and thought-provoking work of art.

It is a nice feeling to know that we share that faith in Jesus Christ with so many who have gone before.

You can see how massive this church is....look at the tiny people on the left of the church.

See the beautiful water of the fjord beyond.

The sculptor of these figures also was the sculpture who created Denmark's famous icon "The Little Mermaid."  His wife was his model for her, as well as these three tomb figures repesenting grief, remembrance and love.

See the beautiful gold altar piece down there?  look directly above at SK looking across at us!