Church of St. Saviour in Riga
Celebrates 150th Anniversary

The Church of St. Saviour has been serving the community for 150 years, and recently marked this milestone with a joyous anniversary celebration.

The Concert of Celebration held Nov. 14 in the church featured some of the most talented singers and musicians in Latvia, who donated their time to make the concert a memorable one. Opera singer Gunta Davidcuka, who is currently featured in the production of Verdi’s Masked Ball at the National Opera of Latvia, was just one of the outstanding musicians participating in this event. She was joined by the vocal group Cosmos, which got its start singing at the Anglican Church in Riga, and later attracted international attention by representing Latvia at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006. Also participating was the congregation’s own GG Gospel Choir, under the direction of Gunars Kalnins, who returned from his current home in Spain to join the choir for this event.

Other performers included saxophonist Artis Simanis, who is also rector of the Latvian Academy of Music; the congregation’s organist and music director Kristine Adamaite, who is respected artist in her own right; trumpeter Karlis Jekabsons; and cellist Lauma Liepina. The concert included music from the 17th century up to the present day, with Pastor Juris Calitis providing brief comments on the church history.

Afterward, a reception was held at the Grand Palace Hotel. The congregation is most grateful to Grand Palace Hotel General Director, Mr. Bernhard Loew, for kindly agreeing to host this event. Pastor Calitis and Wardens Ruta Whittaker and Solvita Sejane were on hand to welcome the many guests who attended the reception.

The following day, at the Service of Celebration, Pastor Calitis quoted Mark 13:1-8, in which Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. Pastor Calitis said that, at first glance, it might seem unusual to quote a text about church walls falling down on an occasion that actually marks the building and dedication of a church! However, he noted that the mission of the church is not to build walls for keeping people out, but to break down existing walls between peoples to ensure that everyone can hear the Gospel of Christ. He said the Gospel must be a message bringing freedom and joy – otherwise, it is not the true Gospel.

The sermon reflected the philosophy of the congregation, which has long been a welcoming place for peoples from around the world, without discrimination in terms of nationality, gender, or other factors. It is the only congregation in Latvia where church services are held every Sunday in English, and where all are welcome. For this reason, the church has become a gathering place for both the residents of Latvia and visitors from abroad.

Music for the service was provided by organist Kristine Adamaite and the youth choir Balsis, under the direction of Ints Teterovskis. Over the years, Balsis has participated in numerous international competitions, often winning top prizes.

The Anglican congregation of St. Saviour in Riga is well known for its service to the community, including a soup kitchen for the homeless and a day centre for the elderly, so it was not surprising that the anniversary attracted a wide audience, including representatives of the British, U.S., Canadian, Chinese, Irish, Italian, Netherlands, and other embassies in Riga. The mayor of Riga and the president of Latvia sent their regrets, but representatives of various religious confessions were in attendance, along with the congregation and its numerous friends and supporters from Latvia and abroad.

The congregation would like to thank everyone who worked to make this anniversary a success. We would like to express special thanks to all who took this opportunity to donate funds to ensure the continued operations of the congregation and its outreach programs.

Some photos kindly provided by Anita Herman.