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– My opinion is that they have succeeded so far, although it has been tense in some parts of the country, says Eva Årbrandt Johansson.
In December 2019, she began the entirely new role as funeral coordinator for the Church of Sweden. Just a couple of months later, the crown pandemic broke out, putting both her and the Swedish funeral business to the test.
In Sweden, the parishes of the Church of Sweden are responsible for funeral services, with the exception of Tranås and Stockholm, where the municipality is the main one. Responsibilities include, among other things, the representation of public cemeteries, places for the storage of the dead, cremation, burial and places for funeral ceremonies without religious symbols.
To get sick
– It was a challenge. There was some anxiety and fear when it started, so those who work with the business would get sick. At the same time, I have felt an incredible calm and great confidence that they will be able to do this, because they can do it, says Eva Årbrandt Johansson.
Their role is, among other things, to coordinate contact between the directors and, during the pandemic, to formulate advice on how funerals should be conducted. It became a great challenge because the routines, for example, in the handling of the deceased, looked different in the regions.
– No one really knew what was going on, and for some who work near the coffins, it probably felt uncomfortable, he says.
It’s been tough
The good camaraderie that he perceived to exist between the employees stands out, as they faced each other to ensure that the business could be managed with dignity. At the same time, it has been difficult at times.
– I can only imagine how some employees had it, who had to take care of many deceased. I think it has been quite difficult, although this is what you work with.
Eva Årbrandt Johansson thinks that most of us just assume that funeral activities will work, that there will be times, and that cremation and burial will take place. At the same time, an idea occurred to him during the pandemic:
– If we can’t do this, then there’s no one else to do it. There is no other organization that steps in and manages this. It must work, we must take care of our deceased. You have to do that in a country like Sweden.
Erika Nekham / TT
Annika Augustsson / TT
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