By Vilhelm Stokstad – In the worlds most secularized country the church is declining, with around 70 000 active dissidents each year. But a few is going against this trend. There is still 15 year olds joining the church the classic way, the confirmation.\r\rMeet a group of confirmands and leaders in Djurö congregation, one of the smallest in Sweden, on their way to the confirmation. Its a journey both literally and metaphorically, with relationships and group dynamics, being 14. And they travel to the holy Assisi, in Italy, by bus. On confirmation day they kneel in front of the altar and get blessed by the priest. Now they have gone through with one of the biggest breaks of trends in Sweden.
The theme for the day is death. The confirmands get to try to lay in a coffin.A small service starts the days lessons. They have class one Sunday each month from October to July.The group prepares to play on a break. Its a tight group and the kids mentions the friends and classmates as one of the more important factors as to why they want to do the confirmation.The youths are encouraged to read the bible on their smartphones during class.Notes during a class about death.Djurö Kyrka is one of the smallest congregations in Sweden.Evenings at the trailer park are often spent playing football or playing games.The confirmands take turns arranging the worships with different themes. This time they passed around the paper plates writing something nice about the person whom the plate belonged to.The mountains of Austria brings out the cameras.At the trailer park in Italy. The kids get some free time while the leaders try to plan the coming days.A first visit in the town of Assisi. To get to know the town the group have got different assignments, like ”take a selfie with a monk”.The evening worship is ended with a quiz and games.A game of strip poker only get so far before being interrupted by the priest.Evenings at the trailer park are often spent playing football or playing games.Two confirmands take a break and sneak away to spend some alone time.A simulated crucification during one of the classes in Assisi, Italy.The bus stops for rest at a truck stop in Germany.The kids show their masks, symbolizing their inner and outer selves.
