Last Sunday saw Iceland’s president Olafur Ragnar Grimsson pay a visit to Southwark Cathedral in London.
The North Atlantic premier travelled to the British capital to take part in a special Nordic service at the historic cathedral at the weekend. The event was also attended by a number of Olympic visitors and top officials and envoys from Nordic churches across Scandinavia and the South East of England.
Iceland’s ambassador in London, Benedikt Jonsson, accompanied Mr Grimsson to the cathedral, as did Andreas von Beckerath, Sweden’s deputy head of mission.
Among the religious leaders, Church of Sweden abroad bishop Visby Sven-Bernard Fast was also in attendance, as was Else Hviid of St Katharine’s Danish Church in Regent’s Park. Rotherhithe’s Norwegian church rector Torbjorn Holt also served as a prayer leader during the service.
Following the event, President Grimsson visited the facility’s Diamond Jubilee Window, a stained glass piece dedicated to the queen and designed by Iceland artist Leifur Breidfjord. Grimsson then proceeded to a reception with Olympic chaplains.
Grimsson was the second Scandinavian premier to visit the cathedral at the weekend; Federal president Eveline Widmer-Schlump of Sweden also made her way through the building during a Saturday tour of the House of Sweden.