Archdiocese of Uppsala

Archdiocese of Uppsala Uppsala stift
Arms of the archdiocese of Uppsala
Location
Country	Sweden
Deaneries	11 kontrakt
Coordinates	59°51′29″N 17°38′00″E / 59.85806°N 17.63333°E / 59.85806; 17.63333Coordinates: 59°51′29″N 17°38′00″E / 59.85806°N 17.63333°E / 59.85806; 17.63333
Statistics
Parishes	82
Congregations	136
Information
Denomination	Church of Sweden
Established	11th century
Cathedral	Uppsala Cathedral
Current leadership
Major Archbishop
Bishop	Ragnar Persenius
Metropolitan Archbishop	Antje Jackelén
Emeritus Bishops	Anders Wejryd K. G. Hammar Gunnar Weman
Map
Website
svenskakyrkan.se/uppsalastift

The Archdiocese of Uppsala is one of the thirteen dioceses of the Church of Sweden and the only one having the status of an archdiocese.

Uppsala is the seat of the Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala. The diocese, which has its centre in the city of Uppsala, covers Uppsala County, Gävleborg County and parts of and Västmanland County. The archdiocese originally also included those parts of Norrland, which were included in the new Diocese of Härnösand when it was founded in 1647 and the , which was made in 1942.

As of 2005 the archdiocese consists of 201 parishes (församlingar or [historically] socknar) distributed over 86 larger parishes (called pastorat) and a smaller number of deaneries.

As the archbishop besides being head of Uppsala diocese also has a central role in the Church of Sweden on a national level. Since 2014, the position of archbishop is held by the Most Reverend Antje Jackelén. An additional position as assistant bishop in Uppsala diocese was created in 1990. In 2000 the diocese was divided into two pastoral regions, the smaller part of which is pastored by the archbishop and the greater by the bishop in Uppsala diocese, the position of assistant bishop thus being made a bishop in his own right. This office has been held by the Right Reverend Tord Harlin (1990–2000) and the Right Reverend Ragnar Persenius (incumbent since 2001).

When St. Ansgar, the Apostle of the North, went to Sweden in 829, the Swedes were still heathen and the country contained many sacrificial groves and temples for the worship of Germanic pagan idols. One of the most celebrated of the latter was the temple at Uppsala in what is now called Old Uppsala, the centre of idolatrous worship not only for Sweden but for all Scandinavia. Even after Christianity had spread through Sweden, heathen sacrifices were still maintained at Uppsala. The "Bishops' Chronicle", written by Adam of Bremen in the years 1072-76, says, "The Swedes have a well-known heathen temple called Upsala", and "Every ninth year, moreover, a great feast is celebrated at Upsala, which is observed in common by all the provinces of Sweden. None is permitted to avoid participation in the feast ... More horrible than any punishment is that even those who have become Christians must purchase exemption from participation in the feast ... The sacrifices are made thus: Nine heads are offered for every living creature of the male sex. By the blood of these the gods are appeased. The bodies are hung up in a grove not far from the temple. Dogs and horses may be seen hanging close by human beings; a Christian told me he had seen seventy-two bodies hanging together."