Iceland’s parliament opens with songs by late honorary-salary recipients

Iceland’s parliament will open on Tuesday with a ceremony featuring songs by two recently deceased artists who received honorary salaries from Alþingi, mbl.is reports.

The ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m. with a service at Reykjavík Cathedral. The president of Iceland, the bishop of Iceland, the speaker of Alþingi, government ministers and members of parliament will walk together from the parliament building to the church.

Oddur Bjarni Þorkelsson, parish priest in the Dalvík parish, will preach. Sveinn Valgeirsson, the cathedral’s parish priest, will officiate, while Guðrún Karls Helgudóttir, bishop of Iceland, will deliver the blessing. Cathedral organist Matthías Harðarson will direct the Cathedral Chamber Choir and play the organ.

After the service, the officials will return to the parliament building, where President Halla Tómasdóttir will open Alþingi’s 158th legislative session.

The Tjörn choir, conducted by Gunnar Gunnarsson, will sing during the opening ceremony. The two songs are “Hjá lygnri móðu” by Jón Ásgeirsson and “Þitt fyrsta bros” by Gunnar Þórðarson.

Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir’s policy address and the debate on it will take place on Wednesday evening. The first reading of the 2027 budget bill is scheduled for Thursday and Friday.