Why should tourists and residents of Helsingborg visit St. Mary’s Church?
It is one among few medieval buildings left in Helsingborg. It is a building of significance for our cultural history, says Annika Lindfors, guide and communications coordinator at St. Mary’s Church.
What are the not-to-be-missed treasures of St. Mary’s Church?
Everything! However, pressed to select a few, I would advise a closer look at the altarpiece and the pulpit. Also some of the details that are easily overlooked, such as the piscina.
What is a piscina?
The piscina is from the time when the church was Catholic – you could say it is a type of sink. When the silver from Holy Communion was washed, and when the baptismal font was cleaned, wine and water alike were disposed of in the piscina. These liquids were seen as “holy” and, so, it was considered proper to dispose of them in a way fitting their status. Through the piscina, they were deposited into the ground outside the church.
Other notable items in the church include the large niches in the church walls. During a time when most congregants stood up in church, these were the only seats to be had.
There is also an epitaph to the daughter of astronomer Tycho Brahe, who died just before what would have been her third birthday. Notable because the text is written with such deep love.
What is your favorite thing about St. Mary’s Church?
I can’t choose one thing. I have such a sense of reverence for everything here. What I like most is the feeling of the church – a thing of comfort, of stillness and beauty. There is so much to discover in this room – one can spend hours exploring, wandering around and looking at each detail. And yet the church is not overly cluttered.
If visitors are looking for a moment of peace and quiet, when should they come?
It is usually most calm in the church around 11:30 and again after 4 p.m. – but it varies. If a cruise ship has docked in Helsingborg, the church is a popular destination for those visitors.
To the left of the church entrance, visitors will find the “chapel of light.” We try to maintain that corner of the church as a place for quiet meditation, prayer and reflection.
Hours of operation
St. Mary’s Church is open every day, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Services of Holy Communion are celebrated Wednesdays at 8 a.m. and Sundays at 11:00 a.m.
Text: Josefine Sjöqvist