4th of July in Helsinki

No fireworks, stars & stripes, or red-white-and blue for us today, but it was a good day. We arrived in Helsinki early this Sunday morning and disembarked about 10:00 a.m. to find the city quiet and peaceful. Most cities around the world are probably quiet at that time, and Helsinki was no exception. A most appropriate Sunday expedition in a strange city is to search for a church, and I wanted to see two of them. We found three worthy of inspecting, and even attended a service at one of them. For 8 euros each we bought a round trip on a shuttle bus and were deposited in front of Helsinki’s largest department store (Stockman’s) and began our hike to the famous Lutheran Church of the Rock. The church was carved out of a hillside and looks most inconspicuous from the outside. I’ve seen pictures of it in Lutheran publications and was eager to see it in person. I wasn’t disappointed. When we arrived before noon, it was closed to tourists so its worshippers could attend, but when the doors opened, the tourists engulfed it. We left with the thought we might return for the 2:00 p.m. English-speaking service. We then hiked to the Lutheran Cathedral, a huge white building set on a hill, notable inside for its minimal color and stark art. Nearby was an Orthodox Church filled with icons, candles, color, and everything else except for pews. Both these churches were built in the mid-nineteenth century and have stood the test of time. We picnicked and rested outside the Orthodox Church for a while and then returned to the Church of the Rock for their service. The congregation was a colorful mix of a number of Africans who must be studying or working here, tourists from a variety of places, and a guest choir from Canada. We were disappointed in the sermon, but thrilled with the music from the Canadian kids. They sang great music that was amplified by the cave-like acoustics of the rock walls. The church’s interior is creatively designed and most worshipful.

We didn’t stay for their coffee hour because we knew we had to walk another half hour to get back to our bus to return to the ship by 5:00. I’m sure we walked more than 5 miles altogether, but we enjoyed our day exploring some of Helsinki’s churches. Not a bad way for a retired pastor and wife to spend a Sunday in a new city!

The cruise is going well! Can’t complain about great food, entertainment, and a staff that dotes on our every need. We’re in the company of 2800 other passengers, 1300 of us from the US, but the rest from 40 different countries. The weather has been perfect—sunny with temps in the low 80’s the past three days. Cruising through the archipelago (a network of thousands of islands) both into and out of Stockholm was a visual treat. Tomorrow and Tuesday we’ll spend in St. Petersburg, Russia, with a busy schedule of visiting the Hermitage Museum and art collection and an evening at the ballet.