We started off with the intention of having lunch with the older members of our family known as the "ancient ones." As we came into the little village of När on Gotland, we passed the church which led to many questions being asked as to "why does each town have a huge cathedral like church in it?" Who can go there? etc.
I turned the car around and I gave my sweet son a look at his ancestry first hand. "This church "O" is where most of our family is buried and we have a very long history in this village of living inside this church. There have been baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and funerals for as long as the church has been standing."
"Can we go in and see what's inside?" he asked.
This is the baptismal font where many generations of Petterson's have been baptized.
I thought it was so appropriate that this hand woven Tree of Life rug was laying before the alter. Here was this young boy who had come from very far away, learning about his connection to the village.
The church has beautiful painted decorations all over. Our favorites, however, are the painted pew doors which were done in the 1700's by a visiting painter from Belgium. Can you imagine sitting in these pews during services and leaning over to tell you brother, "Hey, that painting over there of the guy with the big nose could be your twin. It's uncanny how much you look alike."
No Catherdral is complete without the ship which hangs from the ceiling. It is a reminder that we are surrounded by the sea and our prayers are with those on the sea and who have been lost at sea. My father was a master builder of model tall ships. "Did grandpa get the ideas for these ships from the churches here?" My son asks. Most probably, plus he liked sailing on tall ships too.
From here we left through the door to the gardens which holds a lot of family history.
to be continued.........