Bishop Jan-Olof Johansson lays down his staff

Consecrated as Bishop of Växjô Diocese in November 2010, only five years from reitrement, Bishop Jan-Olof Johansson was very much aware that his time in office would be short.  Time flies all too quickly and the bishop marked his relinquishment of office at a ‘Staff Laying Down’ (Stavnedläggning) service in Växjô Cathedral on 6 April.

When Bishop Jan-Olof first became bishop he published a book of ‘postcards’ (see this link). In his Easter message, Bishop Jan-Olof sends us another postcard with an image of the Church of the Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which has a gloomy interior, but light shines in from the apex of the dome. The message of Easter, he says, is that the light overcomes the darkness.

A translation of the full text of the postcard is given below:

____________________________________________________________________

 Oxford Diocese’s Tony Dickinson was at Bishop-Jan Olof’s farewell service and associated events with his camera at the ready.  Here is a selection of his pictures: