Before Christmas, Archbishop Martin Modéus called on all parish priests to increase preparedness for crisis and war.
It has started in the Vännäs-Bjurholm pastorate.
When the pandemic came, the crisis and preparedness plan in Vännäs was reviewed.
But then the war in Ukraine started.
- Then we felt that we needed to supplement the plans.
A direct consequence of this is that the Church of Sweden has now begun deploying its personnel to ensure that they can perform the tasks that the Church of Sweden is legally obliged to provide, says vicar Erika Forsvall.
- It is mainly funeral activities and protecting and caring for cultural monuments, she says.
War places almost all personnel
In Vännäs-Bjurholm, around 30 employees, almost the entire workforce, will be deployed.
- Even those of us who work in parish care have a special competence and an important role, says Erika Forsvall and believes that the church must be available to society even in times of crisis.
Services must be held and rooms must be available for people to meet.
- The church must continue to be the church.
When there is concern, we see that the church means a lot to many people, she says.
War cemetery for 2,000 graves
A central task that the church must provide under high alert is, among other things, funeral services.
To ensure this, the cemetery manager Ulrik Nilsson has bunkered up with coal to be able to thaw the ground in winter.
A field next to the church in Vännäsby was bought a long time ago.
There, up to 2,000 people can be buried in coffins.
In the clip, you see the field that could become a war cemetery in Vännäsby.