Evening Church

Evening Church is a new addition to the growing number of liturgical services in the capital region's churches. Evening Church is an unconventional time in form and content. The atmosphere is informal and relaxed. Lighting, music and short reflections blend with the surrounding stillness and tranquility of the space. We invite you to meditate, pray, light candles, move between different stations in the church, write down your thoughts or prayers or just sit in the pews or rest on the mattresses in the church.

The Evening Church is a collaborative project between Hallgrímskirkja and Reykjavík Cathedral. The project began in the fall of 2019. Two classes are offered per month, one in each church, from the end of September to the end of April.

What is the goal of evening church?

The purpose of the evening church is to open up the world of religion to people who do not feel at home in the usual daytime church service. The evening church service is different from the traditional service. People are not confined to the pews, but can move around the church space, sit down or lie down.

What characterizes the evening church?

Silence, tranquility and reflection, along with non-traditional music for church, are the main characteristics of the evening church. In the evening church, phones are turned off and conversations are left until outside. The text is read every half hour and musical performances support reflection and relaxation. Everyone is free to walk quietly around the church, sit or lie in the pews or on mattresses on the floor, light candles, move between stations and write what is on their heart on notes and place them in baskets.

Who takes care of the hours?

The Hallgrímskirkja priests, Sr. Irma Sjöfn Óskarsdóttir and Sr. Eiríkur Jóhannsson, Grétar Einarsson, churchwarden, and the cathedral priests, Sr. Elínborg Sturludóttir and Sr. Sveinn Valgeirsson, take care of the Evening Church.