Meet Greenland’s Only Catholic Parish Priest Whose Church Faces Big Challenges
A frigid territory has become a hot international issue.
President Donald Trump’s interest has cast a rare spotlight on this remote land, which, although largely autonomous, is technically part of Denmark (for now at least).
Three times the size of Texas, Greenland has a population of about 58,000, making it about the most sparsely populated place on earth, except for Antarctica, which has no regular residents.
READ: Trump’s Greenland Obsession Overlooks A Spiritual Iceberg
The vast majority of people in Greenland belong to the Lutheran Church, which arrived in the early 1700s. It is common for Greenlandic Lutherans to also maintain traditional beliefs. Greenland only has about 500 Catholics (roughly one-tenth of one percent of the overall population), which makes it the least-Catholic territory in the Western Hemisphere.
But it has an ancient Catholic history: The faith came to Greenland by way of Norse settlers a millennium ago. In the 12th-century golden age of Greenlandic Catholicism, there were some 16 churches along with monasteries and a convent. This was quite a strong presence, given that in that era Greenland's total population would not have exceeded 3,000.
There were obstacles, though. A bishop from that period complained about a lack of wine and wheat for Communion wafers, as well as problems attracting priests to such a faraway place with an ominous climate.
Now more than five centuries after the Norse abandoned their settlements, Greenland remains a challenging assignment for clergy. Nobody realizes this better than Father Tomaz Majcen, a Conventual Franciscan and native of Slovenia. He is the only parish priest serving in Greenland.
Since 2023, Majcen — who also serves at a parish in Copenhagen — has been pastor at Christ the King Church in the capital city of Nuuk. As Greenland's only Catholic church, it is the undeniable center of Greenlandic Catholicism.
Nearly all Catholics in Greenland come from abroad. Most are from the Philippines, while smaller numbers come from Vietnam, Latin America or other parts of Europe, including some Catholics from Denmark.
“So when I look out at Mass,” Majcen said, “I often see a little world family gathered together, each with their own story of how God brought them here.”
The “little world family” celebrates almost all Masses in English. Many of them are actual families — parents and children.
“They share Sunday meals after Mass, bring up their children in the faith, and we’ve had baptisms and first communions,” Majcen added.
The majority of Catholics live in Nuuk, but there is a combined total of 100-plus Catholics in smaller cities. Majcen visits them when the weather permits.
“Sometimes I take flights to places like Ilulissat [population 5,149, Greenland’s third-largest city] or Sisimiut [population 5,526, Greenland’s second-largest city] to celebrate Mass in people’s homes or gather in small groups,” he said.
Majcen said he enjoys the challenge of meeting the faithful under such circumstances in an Arctic land with summers of midnight sun and winters of daytime darkness.
“It reminds me how big God’s family is even in the remotest places,” he added.
Remote as it is, Greenland could have major international importance in the coming years. The territory is reportedly home to large amounts of oil, as well as raw materials vital for electronics, green energy and military technologies. Multiple venues say there are trillions of dollars worth of natural resources (if you can dig through the ice).
Greenland has other attributes that could make it highly coveted, particularly if relations between superpowers were to deteriorate: Greenland's proximity to the North Pole and to American population centers makes it a potentially congenial launching pad for a direct strike against the United States. Greenland may technically be part of Denmark, but it's geographically closer to Boston or New York than Copenhagen.
Along with the prospect of becoming a pawn in 21st-century geopolitics, Greenland has other pressing societal issues, including high rates of alcoholism and domestic violence, and an extremely high rate of suicide — about nine times the global average, disproportionately impacting young people.
In much of Greenland, it is almost impossible to find either a qualified mental health professional. Almost all local natives have lost a friend or relative to suicide.
“Those social wounds are real, deep, and heartbreaking,” Majcen said. “It’s true that many Catholics here are migrants and may not face exactly the same patterns as the wider population, but pain, loneliness, and struggle can touch anyone.”
He added: “Many Catholic families still face homesickness, economic stress, or isolation here. We pray together not just for spiritual nourishment but for healing and support. Catholic charity isn’t a magic cure. But it’s a community that tries to walk with people through the hard times … in this land of ice and heart.”
Majcen described relations between the tiny Catholic Church and the dominant Lutheran Church (also known as the Church of Greenland) as respectful and cooperative.
“It’s deeply woven into Greenlandic identity,” he said of the Lutheran Church. “But like many Western places, active participation is lower than it used to be, especially among youth.”
He said he has also noticed both “a strong cultural Lutheran identity and trends toward secular life.”
The Catholic Church in Greenland is too small to have its own schools or hospitals, “but we do share charity in simple yet meaningful ways,” said Majcen, who mentioned meals after Mass and occasional cooperation with Catholic charity groups.
Majcen admitted he feels closer to God in Greenland than in Copenhagen.
“There’s something about the quiet, the ice, the simplicity of life that strips away distractions and makes you rely on prayer and trust,” he said. “In Copenhagen, life is busier and more active. Here, every Mass, every pastoral visit feels like a precious encounter.”
Ray Cavanaugh is a freelance writer. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including Aleteia, The Guardian and The New York Times.