The Apology

The Apology – Sii bivde ándagassii is a staged work created in response to the High Mass at which Archbishop Antje Jackelén apologized for the Church of Sweden’s role in the colonisation of the Sámi people. After seeing the televised service, Åsa Simma, director of the Giron Sámi Teáhter, was inspired to create a total work of art where history, collective pain, and hope meet within the ritual space of the theatre.

The performance highlights the Sámi people’s loss of land, language, and culture, as well as the need for redress and deeper dialogue. To the powerful organ compositions of Hans-Ola Ericsson, percussion, quiet joik, storytelling, newly written dialogues, and visually striking stage imagery, words, music, movement, and the artistry of Britta Marakatt-Labba are woven together into one whole. The Apology invites the audience into a shared process of reflection, memory, and reconciliation – with each performance leaving its imprint on both the individual and the community.

The Apology premiered in Uppsala Cathedral in the autumn of 2025 and will subsequently tour cathedrals across Sweden. The production is a collaboration with Estrad Norr.

Marja Utsi, Cecilia Persson & Åsa Simma actors
Åsa Simma and Kjell Peder Johanson script
Kjell Peder Johanson och Indra Lorentzen direction
Indra Lorentzen choreography
Hans-Ola Ericsson composer, organist
Tommy Björk percussion
Britta Marakatt-Labba visual art
Sara Svonni costume
Agneta Enzell set design
Caisa Jackson makeup design
Emanuel Arvanitis lighting design

Age limit: 6 years and older

Free admission

Please note that large bags, backpacks, suitcases, and strollers are not allowed in the church!