King Oscar Chapel

Sør-Varanger in Norway

Here are some pictures from Jarfjord Mountain and Grense-Jakobselv in Sør-Varanger in northern Norway in the summer of 2011.

Grense Jakobselv (nordsamisk: Vuorjánjohka) is a hamlet in South-Varanger municipality in Finnmark. The hamlet is located in a small valley where the Jakobselven flows north into the Varangerfjorden. The river marks the border with Russia. Previously, it was a permanent settlement in the valley, but this was abandoned in the late 1970's and early 1980's. Armed Forces has its northernmost border station in Grense, staffed by personnel from the border company in Garrison in South Varanger.

To mark Norway's suvernitet over areas east of James River, King Oscar II built a chapel in Grense. The chapel was consecrated in 1869.

Kong Oscar IIs kapell Located in Grense in Sør-Varanger municipality in Finnmark. The chapel was erected as a border protection against Russia, after the Russians had not respected the Norwegian border after border recovery in 1826. There is a church of stone with 72 seats. It was consecrated on 26 September 1869 by Bishop Frederick Waldemar Hvoslef, and restored in 1992. The architect for the chapel was Jacob Wilhelm Nordan.

It had since the first Norwegian settlement in Grense in 1851 was a desire among the Norwegian population to have its own chapel. Furthermore, it was the boundary expansion in 1826 is still disagreement between Norwegian authorities and Russian fishermen on the border. After reporting more severe confrontations between Norwegian and Russian fishermen magistrates, suggested the governor of Finnmark to allow a navy Navy conduct fisheries surveillance during the months when the fishery was going on. Interior Department wanted an independent investigation of the circumstances, and sent Lieutenant Commander Heyerdahl north to familiarize themselves with the case. Heyerdahl shared, however, not the Governor's views on the solution would be the most appropriate, and he proposed instead to erect a chapel at Grense.

The parallel to the Russian Orthodox chapel in Boris Gleb is striking, as recently it had been of crucial importance at the boundary expansion in 1826. An Evangelical Lutheran chapel would be a udiskuterbar boundary marking the border between Sweden-Norway and Russia. Thus fell the national security and Grense-population interests. In 1865 it was decided that it would build a chapel in the boundary and also a parsonage. Summer of 1869 was the new chapel built of granite finishes, and in September the same year was consecrated by Bishop Frederick Waldemar Hvoslef.

The name of the chapel was only when King Oscar II visited the 4th July 1873. In memory of the visit gave him the chapel is a marble plate with the inscription: King Oscar II heard the word of God here July 4, 1873 and the Sami, Gonagas Oscar II Gulai Ibmel sane dobe pond 4 ad in July 1873. At the same time he expressed a desire to get the church named after him. It was, of course, and they made a name plate that still hangs over the door. Because the chapel because of its location right from the start was an important landmark for mariners, and that it would be even more visible from the sea, the whitewashed chapel in 1883 and again in 1884. This white lime was removed in 1969 in connection with the chapel's 100 year anniversary. All church silver was stolen during the liberation of Finnmark in 1944.

Moddi plays Pussy Riot's Punk Prayer near Russian border

Denied inside the church in Grense Jakobselv, Norwegian musician Pål Moddi Knutsen had to record the music video with his translation of the controversial song outdoor in Grense Jakobselv.