Church and state formally separated in Sweden 1^st January 2000. However, their relationships are complex and ambiguous, illustrated by the presence of the Church of Sweden and its involvement in activities within several public institutions, and public authorities’ official use of religion in certain contexts. State institutions are officially religiously neutral, although in praxis many have special links and organized cooperation with the former state church. The aim of this paper is to scrutinize Swedish public authorities’ official use of religion in a selection of contexts at national level; at the yearly opening of parliament, at official celebrations or commemorations, existence of religious rhetoric in official speeches by the prime minister and the king, presence of public authorities’ representatives in religious rituals and ceremonies. The study focuses these contexts in three selected years 1988, 1998, 2008, in order to analyse possible change over time.