Seraphim Toll on September 9th

His Majesty King Harald V of Norway will be honoured by a Seraphim Toll at the Riddarholmen Church on September 9th.

The Royal burial church on Riddarholmen also houses the Coats of arms of deceased Seraphim Knights. The deceased Knight or Member is honoured with a Seraphim Toll the same day as the funeral service takes place.

The Royal Order of the Seraphim is the highest Royal Swedish Order. It has only one degree: Knight/Member. The Order is mainly awarded to foreign Heads of State and their equals.

Seraphim Toll 9 september

His Majesty King Harald V of Norway, Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim

His Majesty King Harald V was born 21th February 1937 and passed away on 28th of August this year. The King was appointed Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim by H M King Gustaf VI Adolf on 10th April 1958. The King was awarded the Collar of the Order on 5th May 1992.

The King was the 734:th Knight of the Seraphim since its institution in the year of 1748.

The bell of the Riddarholmen Church will ring between 12:00 and 13:00.
The church will be open to the public during the ceremony, approximately 12:00–13:00.

About the Order of the Seraphim

Since 1748, the coats of arms of Seraphim Knights have hung on the walls of the church. The coats of arms for living Knights and Members are kept in the Royal Palace. When a Knight or Member passes away, the date of death is added to the coat of arms and is taken to the Riddarholmen Church during the day of the funeral service.

The bell of the Riddarholmen Church are also rung on the day when a Seraphim Knight is buried. This is known as a Seraphim Toll. The Seraphim Toll lasts for one hour.

The Royal Order of the Seraphim is the highest Royal Swedish Order. It has only one degree: Knight (for gentlemen) and Member (for ladies). The Order is mainly awarded to foreign Heads of State and their equals.

Since the church has not been a parish church for more than 200 years, these tolls are one of the few occasions when the church bell ring.

The ceremony

The Seraphim Toll usually takes place at 12:00–13:00 at the Riddarholmen Church, on the same day that the funeral service is held for Seraphim Knight.

The Seraphim arms of the deceased will be hung in the chancel during the toll. Musicians from the Armed Forces Music Corps will take part in the ceremony.

During the ceremony, the Deputy Clerk to the Office will officially announce the death of the Knight of the Seraphim. The church is open open to the public during the ceremony.

King Harald V of Norway will be honoured by a Seraphim Toll in Riddarholmen Church on 9 September, and The King's coat of arms will be taken to the Riddarholmen Church.

The church is open to the public during the ceremony. Photo: Royalpalaces.se

The Riddarholmen Church is a royal burial church, and is also where the Seraphim arms of deceased Knights of the Order of the Seraphim are hung. Photo: Dick Norberg/Royalpalaces.se

Visit us

Guided tours Open today 10.00-17.00

During the summer months a guided tour are available to visitors on Sundays. The church...

Group Visits Open today 10.00-17.00

For larger groups, we recommend a pre-booked tour with your own guide. Guided tours can...

Discover more at The Riddarholmen Church

King's burial church Open today 10.00-17.00

The church has a long history which stretches back to 1270, when a Franciscan priory wa...

The Royal graves Open today 10.00-17.00

With the exception of Queen Kristina, all the Swedish monarchs from King Gustav II Adol...

The Bernadotte Chapel Open today 10.00-17.00

In 1858–60 this chapel was built for the present royal dynasty of Sweden, the Bernadott...

Coats of arms Open today 10.00-17.00

The Royal burial church on Riddarholmen also houses the Coats of arms of deceased Serap...

The Riddarholmen Church's history Open today 10.00-17.00

The Riddarholmen Church is Sweden's royal burial church. Up until 1950, seventeen monar...

Articles and movies

His Majesty King Harald V of Norway will be honoured by a Seraphim Toll at the Riddarho...

Late summer invites to seven open Royal sites, a historical retrospective at the Royal ...

The annual card is your key to the Royal cultural heritage. Visit ten Royal sites – whe...

Customer service

Opening hours:

Visit us