[5/10/2006 ]
Rock cavern Inger at Triangeln blessed and christened
The rock cavern works at Triangeln were today formally blessed and christened. The rock cavern, which is part of the Citytunnel project, will be called Inger after its ‘godmother’ Inger Nilsson, Malmö’s City Manager. She was appointed today during the christening service in which the patron saint of the tunnel workers, St Barbara, was given a new place in the south shaft.
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Fr Daniel Adner is blessing the picture of St Barbara. |
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Inger Nilsson, Malmö’s City Manager, surrounded by tunnel workers. |
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There is a strong tradition among tunnel workers and quarrymen in Europe that St Barbara should be represented where they are working underground or among rocks. They believe that St Barbara will protect them against accidents and ensure that the project will be successful.
According to tradition, a priest should also bless the worksites, and a godmother should be chosen. To be selected as godmother is an honorary task which includes ensuring that the tunnel workers are properly looked after, and now and then visiting the site and bringing treats. The godmother should also take part in a festival on December 4 each year which is the feast day of St Barbara.
‘I am glad and count myself honoured to have been given this task’ says Inger Nilsson. ‘It is important for Malmö that the project runs well and that the tunnel workers are as well looked after as possible during their time in Malmö’.
The actual christening and blessing were carried out in an ecumenical service in the shaft at Smedjegatan. The service was led by Fr Daniel Adner of the Catholic parish, and the Reverend Per Lidbeck of the parish of St Johannes.
‘It feels good and important to take part in this blessing of the tunnel work’, said Rev Lidbeck. ‘The parish of St Johannes is specially involved in everything about the Citytunnel, and the future station will have a great effect on how we work as a church in the future’.
The tradition of St Barbara and blessing the tunnel is not so strong in Sweden, but because the Contractor, MCG, which is handling the tunnels and underground rock cavern at Triangeln is half German, it is natural that the tradition is also kept up during the work in Malmö. Many of those who work in the tunnel are Catholics from Germany, Poland, and Austria.
‘Blessing a worksite is common in Catholic countries’, explains Fr Adner. ‘I have not actually blessed a tunnel before, but I have carried out similar services in Malmö on worksites where the workers were Catholic’.
Some 150 tunnel workers and the management of MCG and Citytunneln took part in the service.