Queen Margrethe II of Denmark visited the
Danish
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Vancouver Wednesday,
October 16th, 1991, on the last day of her official visit to
Canada. She arrived at Vancouver International Airport in the
morning. She flew in from Victoria where Lieutenant Governor
David Lam had hosted a formal dinner the evening before. She
arrived at Dania Home about 11am. Dania Home, a Danish retirement
home, is a neighbour of our church.
After having visited Dania Home, the Queen and entourage walked to the Danish Lutheran Church. In the parking lot the Sunday School children gave a bouquet of flowers to the Queen.
The receiving line outside the church consisted of Betty and Henning Sorensen (President of the Church Board), Kirsten and Pastor Kai Glud, Anna and Pastor Emeritus Immanuel Rasmussen (who had greeted the Queen when she as Crown Princess visited the old church in 1967), and Charlotte and Pastor Benny Grey Schuster (of Granly Danish Lutheran Church in Surrey).
The royal couple were led to their seats next to the altar in the crowded church. Pastor Glud welcomed the honoured guests in a short address and gave a brief history of the church. Three verses from Den signede dag med fryd vi ser (O day full of grace) were sung.
The Queen then approached the unfinished embroidered altar rug.
She was seated and Vera Pii pointed out to
the Queen where the three royal stitches should be. The Queen
protested and said that it was not the right colour of thread she
had been given. No,
Vera Pii answered,
but we want in the future to know where Your Majesty did make the
stitches.
Oh, I understand,
the Queen answered smiling, I’m
not always that quick in the morning.
And the three stitches were sewn with the golden thread.
Meanwhile Prince Henrik had a conversation with Jytte Olsen and Gerd Mølhøj who represented the women and men who had worked on the new altar rug.
The royal couple and entourage left the church while the congregation sang Tider skal komme. At the door both Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik signed the Guest Book.
The black limousines left the church shortly after, heading for the University of British Columbia where the royal couple had lunch. Later in the afternoon, they flew back to Denmark.
The altar rug has since been installed and visitors can now come and view the three golden stitches.