Vår Frälsares Kyrka

Did you ever hear of a church named after a provocation? Here at Vår Frälsares Kyrka in Malmö, the very name whispers a tale of resilience. Vår Frälsares Kyrka, the Catholic Parish of Our Saviour, stands as a testament to a community’s enduring faith. The original church, built in 1872, bore the name “Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus”. This name, however, was deemed too provocative in the predominantly Protestant Sweden of the time. The Catholic community, seeking to integrate peacefully, renamed their beloved church “Vår Frälsares Kyrka”. This act of humble renaming speaks volumes about the challenges faced by the early Catholic community in Malmö. Their first vicar, Bernhard zu Stolberg, led the congregation from its founding in 1870. He guided them through this initial period of navigating religious sensitivities. The original Vår Frälsares Kyrka stood near Gustav Adolf Square, where Raoul Wallenberg Park now resides. It served the community faithfully for nearly a century. But as the city grew, so did the congregation. The old church, once a symbol of their perseverance, became too small. In 1960, a new Vår Frälsares Kyrka was built in Hästhagen, designed by the architect Hans Westman. Its modern design contrasted sharply with its predecessor, yet carried the same spirit of devotion. The same year, the old church was demolished, its physical presence replaced by a park. Yet, its legacy lives on in the name and the thriving community of Vår Frälsares Kyrka. The new church, inaugurated by Reverend Bernhard Koch, continues to serve as a spiritual home for Malmö’s Catholics. It stands as a symbol of their journey, a testament to their faith, and a reminder of the power of a name chosen in peace.