St. Eric's Cathedral, Stockholm, Catholic cathedral in Södermalm, Sweden
St. Eric's Cathedral is a Romanesque Revival church of red brick and grey stone at Folkungagatan 46 on Södermalm. Its main facade has a large rose window and a cross flanked by two low towers. The 1983 extension by Hans Westman and Ylva Lenormand added a larger church room and a 27-metre concrete bell tower crowned with a copper crown around St. Eric's sword.
The parish bought the Pauli estate in 1857 and opened a chapel in its north wing in 1860. The present church, designed by Axel Gillberg, was built in 1890–1892 in Romanesque Revival style. It became Sweden's Catholic cathedral in 1953, and in 1983 an extension by Hans Westman and Ylva Lenormand was consecrated.
The cathedral is the seat of the only Catholic diocese in Sweden, and its congregation of about 8,500 includes members from many countries. Masses are held weekly in five languages, with others celebrated regularly. The church's patron is Saint Eric, the 12th-century king who became Stockholm's patron saint and appears on the city's coat of arms.
The cathedral is fully accessible to all visitors, including those using wheelchairs, and sits at Folkungagatan 46 in a central location. Regular services are held throughout the week, so check the schedule before your visit.
The four bells in the bell room behind the north facade have individual names: the largest is the Gloria bell, then the Sts Peter and Paul bell, a bell given by the Schönstatt-Diasporahilfswerk in Vallendar, and the smallest, the Requiem bell. The largest was cast in Germany.
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