Lyssna

The Altar

We approach The Altar to reflect on our way of life and the actions we take. The choices we make hold the power to shape our future, for better or for worse. This is a place where we can surrender our will to God’s way—the way of peace.

The Altar

We approach The Altar to reflect on our way of life and the 
actions we take. The choices we make hold the power to shape 
our future, for better or for worse. This is a place where we can 
surrender our will to God’s way—the way of peace.

  1. Take a walk around the church or journey 
    through the World Heritage site of Visby.
  2. Reflect on these two questions along your walk:
  3.  a) Which of my actions foster the growth of life—in my own 
        life, in the lives of others, and in all of creation?
       b) Which of my actions hinder the growth of life—in my 
       own life, in the lives of others, and in all of creation?
  4. Bring back a stone to The Altar to symbolize your thoughts.
  5. Place the stone upon the altar as you pray:

God,
All I have done and all I think,
I place in your hands.
The big and the small,
The bad and the good:
God, take care of it.
Amen.

 

About this sacred place: 
The Altar, located outside the Bridal Gate, was consecrated by Bishop 
Lennart Koskinen and Bishop Sven-Bernhard Fast. The central portion of 
the altar, with its five crosses, is carved into Gotlandic limestone and 
originates from the altar once placed in the former St. Mikael’s Chapel in 
northern Visby.