This Sunday, masses were held in all churches in Norway in memory of King Harald. King Haakon, accompanied by his mother, the Queen Dowager Sonja, and his children, Ingrid Alexandra and Sverre Magnus, attended one of these ceremonies held at the parish closest to the Skaugum palace, the official residence of the crown princes until now, located in Asker, twenty kilometers from Oslo. The notable absentee was Queen Mette-Marit who, still recovering from her lung transplant, is conserving her strength to attend the state funeral and burial of her late father-in-law, a date that has not yet been set by the Norwegian court.
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The pastors of most of the churches in Norway, of Lutheran confession, asked their faithful to offer Sunday masses in memory of King Harald. At eleven in the morning, coinciding with the start of the religious services, all churches and cathedrals in Norway rang their bells as a sign of mourning. Minutes before, King Haakon, along with his mother and children, arrived by car at the Asker parish which, as every Sunday, was open to the faithful. Pastor Øyvind Stabrun only requested punctuality and to leave the first pew free for the royal family to occupy.
Stabrun, accompanied by his coadjutor, Ida Buen Hanevold, officiated the mass in which prayers were offered for the deceased and comfort was given to his family.
All dressed in mourning, the seating arrangement in the pew already reflected the new position of each of them. First, Haakon VIII, to his right, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, next to her, Queen Sonja, and finally, Prince Sverre who now occupies the second place in the line of succession to the throne behind his sister.
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While the royal family attended the service at the Asker parish, the Norwegian Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, accompanied by members of his government, was present at the one held at Oslo Cathedral.
The official religion of Norway is Lutheran and its highest authority is Bishop Olav Fykse Tveitla, who in 2019 replaced Bishop Helga Byfuglien, married with three children and six grandchildren, as president of the episcopal conference. After the death of King Harald, Bishop Fyske was one of the first to go to the esplanade of the royal palace to lay a floral tribute and will be, when convened, the one to preside over the state funeral for the late monarch to be held at Oslo Cathedral.
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