The Sub-Dean of Bergen Cathedral, the Rev Jacob Frøde Knudsen, visited Southwark Cathedral during February and March. Southwark Cathedral has developed a link of friendship with the Cathedral and Diocese of Bergen, Norway, since Anglicans and Lutherans were encouraged to work together by the Porvoo Agreement between the churches in 1996. The two cathedrals are being formally twinned this year, and the Southwark Cathedral choir are going to tour Norway in July, accompanied by some of the Canons and other staff.

The Rt Rev Tom Butler, Bishop of Southwark, recently licensed the local Norwegian chaplain, the Rev Helge Pettersson, as an Honorary Priest Vicar of Southwark Cathedral. He is Rector of St Olav's Norwegian Church and Seamen's Mission, Rotherhithe, in south east London, and is a personal friend of Mr Knudsen. As a Priest Vicar he will sometimes lead the weekday lunchtime Eucharist, when people of all sorts and from all over the world attend.

The Bishop said, "There have always been close church links with Norway due to the ancient connection between St Alphege and St Olav…. Timber from Norway was unloaded at London Docks for centuries, and there's been a Norwegian church in London since 1692." St Alphege, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was killed at Greenwich in 1012. Olav is said to have killed him, and was so terrified with what he had done that he fled to Rouen where he became a Christian. Then, the tradition says, he returned to London and helped King Ethelred to fight King Canut, tearing down London Bridge with the help of his seamen. Thereafter he went to Norway to make it a Christian country under one king, namely himself.

The present church, in St Olav's Square, Albion Street, at the south end of the Rotherhithe Tunnel, is mounting a St Olav's Festival on 23-25 June this year with a seminar and a concert in Southwark Cathedral. Details from the church on 020 7237 5587, or on the church's website.

NOTE: The Porvoo Agreement between the Anglican churches in Britain and the Lutheran churches in Scandinavia was signed in 1996 in Nidaros (Trondheim) Cathedral, in Tallin and in Westminster Abbey.

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