The Palm Sunday was celebrated in all the proper Byzantine grandeur in the Stockholm Cathedral of Saint George. The ceremony took place just two days after the terrorist attack that claimed the life of four people and injured many others.
At the end of the ceremony the official message of the Metropolis of Sweden was read, which is the follow:
“In the shadow of the tragic incident that tarnishes the upcoming celebration of Saint Easter, our thoughts and prayers accompany the families and loved ones of our unjustly killed and injured brothers.
The blind and sectarian violence that set as a target the peaceful Sweden will achieve the exact opposite, bringing together all the healthy forces against fanaticism.
These difficult times confirm the stable relationship of trust and cooperation that has developed between the province of the Ecumenical Throne in the Scandinavian Peninsula, the Swedish Kingdom and the local community, with which we experience the same concerns.”
A memorial service for the victims was performed by the Metropolitan of Sweden and Scandinavia Mr. Kleopas himself. He called for everyone to unite their prayers for the lost compatriots and the fast and full healing of the injured ones.
At 2 p.m. the same day, tens of thousands of people gathered at the Sergels torg square in Stockholm to express their support to the families of the victims thus sending a message of solidarity against terrorism.
