Svalbard church

About

Svalbard Church is the world’s northernmost civilian church.

The church in Longyearbyen serves as a meeting place and venue for a wide range of religious and cultural gatherings. Every week, several hundred children, young people, and adults come together for choir rehearsals, confirmation classes, baby song sessions and parent-baby meetups, evening services and Sunday worship, as well as concerts and conversations. We conduct baptisms, confirmations, and weddings, and we hold memorial services when someone passes away.

Our work is varied, framed by the powerful Arctic landscape as a backdrop, and shaped by encounters with people from many walks of life and in all of life’s situations.

The church is usually open 24 hours a day, every day. Everyone is welcome to stop by for a quiet moment, to light a candle, enjoy a cup of coffee, or have a conversation. In the church’s lounge with a fireplace, there is a small shop offering local souvenirs and handicrafts from different parts of the world, supporting humanitarian projects and the church’s local work.

The church’s mission covers the entire Svalbard archipelago. It is part of the public emergency preparedness system and serves everyone staying on Svalbard, regardless of nationality or church affiliation. The church belongs to the Church of Norway, a Protestant national church. Svalbard Church is part of the Tromsø Cathedral Deanery and the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

The vision of Svalbard Church is to be an open and generous church - diaconal and attentive. We are part of the worldwide Christian church and practice what we call ecumenical and spiritual hospitality. This means that everyone is welcome to take part in our worship services and events.