AN ANTICHRISTIC PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY
Author and photographer: Frank Benjamin Horn Hartvedt
Maundy Thursday: Antichrist in the House of God
The priest spoke pleasantly about Gagarin, spaceflight, not seeing God even when you are far up in the sky – and God’s closeness through Jesus of Nazareth’s washing of the disciple Peter’s feet.
Exactly one month after the final part of The Frank Benjamin-series was published, I was today in the house of God. More specifically, in Bergen Cathedral. For the Maundy Thursday service.
Or to put it another way: The possible Antichrist – “The Real Jesus” – was in the house of Jesus of Nazareth today.
Below are some pictures from today’s performance.
Comment on the image: Bergen Cathedral in central Bergen.
Comment on the image: A healed hand (cf. the ring) holds today’s program before the service begins.
Comment on the image: The priest addressed a small but dedicated congregation – as far as I could tell when I looked around me.
Comment on the image: The priest spoke pleasantly about Gagarin, spaceflight, not seeing God even when you are far up in the sky – and God’s closeness through Jesus of Nazareth’s washing of the disciple Peter’s feet.
Comment on the image: I secured a front-row seat when communion was to be held.
Comment on the image: Beautiful choir music as Frank Benjamin “left the building.”
Good Friday: The Real Jesus in the Church of His Hometown, Åsane
Today’s service was mainly about the reading of the Passion story of Jesus Christ. A good while before God sent his son to earth to be tortured to death in the most cruel manner, he had drowned practically the entire world. For those who don’t know, death by drowning is considered one of the worst ways to die. Crucifixion was considered one of the Romans’ most abhorrent methods of torture and killing. Despite this, people were, as usual, moved in the pews. Jesus of Nazareth had suffered for us, after all. I fail to grasp what his father tortured him for; I sincerely hope it’s not about having dirty thoughts when you see a nice bum on the sidewalk.
After yesterday’s visit to Bergen Cathedral, today’s trip continued to Åsane Church, which is located a considerable stone’s throw from Barkaleitet 13. Åsane is thoroughly mentioned in The Frank Benjamin-series.
I saw some familiar elderly faces in the church from my upbringing in the suburb, including a sober-minded man who back then believed that I did a great disservice to a major talent at Åsane IL when I, as a freelance journalist, gave the football artist glowing praise in an article in the local newspaper. I remember that criticism was dismissed on the spot. You always bring out the glowing praise if there is the slightest reason to do so.
Below are some pictures from today’s experience in the church of my hometown, Åsane.
Comment on the image: Familiar surroundings: The National Socialist Varg Vikernes caused Åsane Church to burn down on Christmas Eve 1992. The following year, the new Åsane Church was erected.
Comment on the image: The building behind Åsane Church stands on the same ground as my old high school, U. Pihl. A touching funeral took place in the church not long after the house of God was completed. One of U. Pihl’s students had died in a particularly gruesome traffic accident. He was perhaps Åsane’s greatest football talent at the time.
Comment on the image: Today’s service was mainly about the reading of the Passion story of Jesus Christ. A good while before God sent his son to earth to be tortured to death in the most cruel manner, he had drowned practically the entire world. For those who don’t know, death by drowning is considered one of the worst ways to die. Crucifixion was considered one of the Romans’ most abhorrent methods of torture and killing. Despite this, people were, as usual, moved in the pews. Jesus of Nazareth had suffered for us, after all. I fail to grasp what his father tortured him for; I sincerely hope it’s not about having dirty thoughts when you see a nice bum on the sidewalk.
Comment on the image: The oh-so-beautiful Passion story was spiced with dance and movement by a young woman. I can assure you that she knew the art of making suffering facial expressions.
Comment on the image: The priest briefly addressed the congregation toward the end of the service. He spoke, among other things, about international politics.
Comment on the image: There were far more people gathered in the church today than yesterday. Unlike yesterday, there were far, far more elderly than young.
Comment on the image: I was, of course, forced to take this picture. Because in the far background you can see part of the sports hall where the adventure of IFS began five years after the new Åsane Church was completed.
Easter Sunday: The Son of Eva Louise in St. Mary’s Church
The priest was exceedingly glad that so many had seen and heard Jesus Christ after he had risen from the dead, including Mary Magdalene, who was the first to see him after it was established that Jesus of Nazareth had disappeared from his tomb. Because this meant that the resurrection was true. I’m not sure why the priest was so glad. I thought it was popular to believe without seeing or hearing anything at all.
Jesus of Nazareth was born of the Virgin Mary. The Real Jesus from Åsane was conceived naturally and born of Eva Louise. Today I was in the church of the mother of the man from Nazareth. The church that might be called the main church of Bergen, the city where I was born.
Easter Sunday is the day when Christians celebrate that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. As you may know, I have great praise for the music in Christian congregations. Arnold Børud is one of the most skilled providers. I listened to him quite a bit during my upbringing. The song “Maria, Why Are You Crying?” is one of his finest. It is about Jesus’ resurrection after the torture on the cross.
Below are some pictures from today’s event.
Comment on the image: St. Mary’s Church is located a stone’s throw from where I stayed for a short time after I was born of Eva Louise at Haukeland Hospital.
Comment on the image: Easter Sunday is the foremost day of the calendar year for Christians. The weather in the city where I was born was cooperating with the chosen ones today.
Comment on the image: One thing that struck me today was that there were very few images of the mother of Jesus of Nazareth in St. Mary’s Church. Here are some exceptions.
Comment on the image: Seated.
Comment on the image: Not unexpectedly, there were far more spectators and listeners eager to hear today than there were in Bergen Cathedral and Åsane Church.
Comment on the image: And suddenly an image of the Savior’s mother appeared when the altarpiece was opened.
Comment on the image: The priest was exceedingly glad that so many had seen and heard Jesus Christ after he had risen from the dead, including Mary Magdalene, who was the first to see him after it was established that Jesus of Nazareth had disappeared from his tomb. Because this meant that the resurrection was true. I’m not sure why the priest was so glad. I thought it was popular to believe without seeing or hearing anything at all.
Comment on the image: The priest spoke about international politics. He believed that the Atlantic Ocean had become even wider.
Easter Monday: Back to the Start to Honor the Places by Bergen Cathedral
The priest struck me as self-assured; I suspect we are dealing with a man who can turn on the charm whenever he wants, to the delight of whoever receives his attention. He spoke about how glad he was to have been “seen” by Jesus of Nazareth in his youth. He spoke warmly about Doubting Thomas. I will never understand how sharp, standing men cannot see how absurd the character of Thomas in the Bible is.
I concluded my Antichristic Easter crusade on Monday by returning to the start. I was once again in Bergen Cathedral.
The reason for this is that on this day I wanted to honor one of the most important geographical points in my life – the place where I started my new, beautiful path in life.
“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14).
Comment on the image: Bergen Cathedral School. In the background towers Bergen Cathedral.
Comment on the image: To the left in the picture – below Bergen Cathedral – you see Kong Oscars gate. That street is held in high regard – for natural reasons.
Comment on the image: Santalgården in Kong Oscars gate, currently under renovation. Bergen Cathedral in the background.
Comment on the image: A picture of Santalgården I took earlier in connection with The Frank Benjamin-series. In this building, the sluice gates were opened. On the ground floor to the right, the aforementioned driving school was located. It is purely coincidental that the driving school was located in the same building I moved into quite some time after I had dealings with this driving school.
Comment on the image: I asked a sexton in Bergen Cathedral what this motif meant. He thought it had to do with the baptism of Jesus. For my part, I was naturally most interested in the creature to the right of Jesus of Nazareth.
Comment on the image: This cross greeted me as I wandered into the church. My first association was, for some reason, the theater talent and dreamer Neil Perry. Fine by me.
Comment on the image: The priest struck me as self-assured; I suspect we are dealing with a man who can turn on the charm whenever he wants, to the delight of whoever receives his attention. He spoke about how glad he was to have been “seen” by Jesus of Nazareth in his youth. He spoke warmly about Doubting Thomas. I will never understand how sharp, standing men cannot see how absurd the character of Thomas in the Bible is.
Comment on the image: The priest.
Comment on the image: The priest.
“The Possible Antichrist Was Here”
On Easter Monday at approximately 10:50 AM, Frank Benjamin Hartvedt made his entrance into Bergen Cathedral. I did not know then that the foremost opponent – of flesh and blood – of The Real Jesus, here on earth, had passed away.
On Easter Monday at 7:35 AM, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, or Pope Francis I – Vicar of Christ on earth and successor of Jesus of Nazareth’s favorite disciple Peter – died. On Easter Monday at approximately 10:50 AM, Frank Benjamin Hartvedt made his entrance into Bergen Cathedral. I did not know then that the foremost opponent – of flesh and blood – of The Real Jesus, here on earth, had passed away.
When one of the world’s largest media outlets, CNN, clears large parts of its international website, and rounds in the world’s largest sport are canceled, you begin to think that the estimate of 2.4 billion Christians in the world might be roughly correct. 85% of the world’s population is allegedly religious. It is so incomprehensible that I have no words. That growing children and young people can be dazzled by various gospels given to them by parents or other adults they look up to, is not difficult to understand. But that grown men and women who have read and discussed and thought and pondered for years, maintain their religious faith – is, well, unbelievable. It is completely and utterly incomprehensible to me.
Of everything I saw during my Antichristic Easter crusade, I think the experience of the straight-backed, self-assured priest in Bergen Cathedral on Easter Monday is what I will remember best. I think you understand why.
(This documentary was published on frankbenjaminhartvedt.no in April and May 2025)