Orthodox Mission in Scandinavia

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What is The Pilgrim Foundation?​​

 

The Pilgrim Foundation (Pilgrimsfonden) is a small-scale, independent association with roots in the Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church in Stockholm (Kristi förklarings ortodoxa kyrka). The fund focuses on promoting access to Orthodox Christian spirituality in Sweden and the Nordic region.

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Since 2022, the fund has supported the translation of the Synaxarion - the vast collection of saints' lives from throughout Church history - by providing a regular stipend to Father Mikael Fälthammar, priest at the Resurrection of Christ Orthodox Church in Gothenburg.

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As this work nears completion, we aim to continue collaborating with Father Mikael on future projects, such as producing a Swedish language Orthodox Study Bible (starting with the New Testament) and a commentary on the Psalms. The fund also has several other future projects in the pipeline, which you can read more about below.

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We truly appreciate all donations, and we hope that together we can work towards a strong Orthodox mission in Sweden and Scandinavia!

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What is Our Mission?​

 

The Nordic countries are often described as some of the most secular societies in the world. But is this really true?

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Historically, the Nordic nations have had strong state churches, with several revival movements persisting well into the 20th and 21st centuries. However, modern society has eroded the traditional Lutheran Christian faith without replacing it with anything substantial. Instead, New Age spiritualities and fascination for Eastern belief systems is growing, and even an interest in the occult is on the rise. Many who have grown up without faith feel rootless, and studies show that depression and anxiety are common and growing issues among Scandinavians, both young and old.

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Sweden and the Nordic region needs Orthodoxy. We need to be reintegrated into the Body of Christ. We need to be sanctified anew in His Church.

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In Sweden, it only became legally possible for Protestants to convert to Orthodoxy in 1951, when full religious freedom was introduced in the country. Yet, Orthodoxy has a deep history in the Nordic region, and it has been blessed by many great saints - Saint Anna, Saint Botvid, Saint Sunniva, and Saint Olaf are just a few examples from a large, blessed cloud of witnesses. The oldest Russian parish outside of Russia, the Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church in Stockholm, was established in 1617, and today most Orthodox patriarchates are represented here.

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Most parishes now see a steadily growing number of Swedish-speaking converts of all ages. Swedes began converting during the 20th century, and there is a growing corpus of prayer books, liturgical materials, and books about Orthodoxy published in Swedish. But more is needed!

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The Pilgrim Foundation wants to support the establishment of a stronger platform for mission in Sweden and the Nordic countries. We want to drive this mission forward by translating (and authoring) more material into Swedish, but also by promoting other projects that can help the joyful message of the Gospel reach people in modern times.

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Within our Orthodox parishes, there are individuals with incredible creative talents and a deep love for Christ who simply need resources to bring their missionary projects to life. We want to give them that opportunity, to the glory of God!

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What Have We Done So Far?​

 

The Pilgrim Foundation has already launched and successfully completed a number of projects with great results.

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The Synaxarion and Krysalis Publishing​

 

The project to translate the Orthodox Synaxarion into Swedish began in late April 2022. The Synaxarion is the grand collection of saintly lives from throughout Church history, compiled by the monks of the Simonopetra Monastery on Mount Athos. To make this massive project possible, donations have allowed us to provide a stipend to Father Mikael Fälthammar, priest of the Resurrection of Christ Orthodox Parish in Gothenburg, to serve as editor.

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The result is a four-volume set containing a saint's life for each day, covering the entire church year. The editions have been deeply appreciated, and the final volume in the series will be published in September 2026.

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To facilitate the publication of the Synaxarion, The Pilgrim Foundation supported the establishment of Krysalis Publishing (Bokförlaget Krysalis). From late 2025 through 2026, the publishing house has already released several other titles in Swedish alongside the Synaxarion. In English, the publisher has released An Orthodox Christian Catechism: Part I: Introduction to the Royal Path, with plans to publish several other titles in English in the future.

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The publisher's website is available here: https://www.krysalis.se/

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Educational Series​

 

During the autumn, The Pilgrim Foundation will run a course in liturgics that blends theological depth with practical skills. Divided into two modules, the goal is to deepen participants' understanding of how services are structured throughout the church year and to encourage practical participation, including in the choir. 

 

This is a course that will cover an important aspect in the life of the Orthodox Christian, and it will be the first formal course on this topic in Stockholm.

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What Do We Want to Achieve?​

 

The Pilgrim Foundation has several goals for the coming years. Here is a brief look at what we aim to do:

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• Secure a stipend for Father Mikael Fälthammar to continue the work of making Orthodox texts available in Swedish for the growing number of Swedish-speaking Orthodox believers.

• Support the translation and development of Orthodox church music in Swedish, including backing our educational initiatives.

• Provide stipends for specific contributions to the publication and production of Swedish-language Orthodox literature.

• Support the production of various digital media that promote Orthodox mission, such as podcasts, video productions, and more.

• Support events and workshops, such as the highly popular Heliga Dygnet (The Holy 24 Hours) retreat, which is held twice a year at the Holy Transfiguration Church in Stockholm.

 

The Pilgrim Foundation already has an established process where individuals can apply for funding for specific purposes. We also have a number of project groups with a proven track record of delivering high-quality results. We will continue our efforts to connect with other capable individuals who can carry out projects with the same high standards and passion.

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Donate today! We appreciate all gifts, large and small!

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