While the population in rural villages has generally declined, the number of inhabitants in Østermarie has been fairly stable in recent years, thanks in part to its lively retail trade.
Recent winners have given their names to Aage Haugland's Gyde (Lane) in honour of the Wagner bass, "Benny Andersens Boldgade" songwriter, and "Seamus Heaney Stræde" celebrating the Irish Nobel Prize-winning poet.
Soon afterwards, it was decided that the entire church should be demolished but when it was found that the building was of considerable architectural interest the work was stopped in 1890.
Stone roof coverings are quite unusual in Scandinavia, only being found in a few churches in Scania, although the technique was quite common in Ireland.
In the northern cross arm, there is an epitaph to Jens Kofoed, popularly credited with the liberation of Bornholm from the Swedes in 1658.
The cross below the chancel arch, added during the church's restoration by the architect Rolf Graae in 1964, is the work of Paul Høm, a local artist.
[7] Bornholms Musik Festival arranges concerts in the church with Emma Kirkby and Lars Ulrik Mortensen.
One runestone, which is designated as DR 391 in the Rundata catalogue, stands in the churchyard near the old church but was originally found in its tower.
It has a runic inscription that has been transcribed into Old Norse as: Barni/Biarni ok Sibbi ok [T]ofi þeʀ resþu sten æftiʀ Kætil, faþur sin.
Kristr hialpi hans siol, in English: "Barni/Biarni and Sibbi and Tófi they raised (the) stone in memory of Ketill, their father, May Christ help his soul.
Its inscription was transcribed as, Barni/Biarni ok Tofi ok Asgotr letu resa sten æftiʀ Sibba, broþur sin.
"[11] The inscription on DR 393 is transcribed as Bofi hoggwa let sten at Þyþkel/Þorkel, which translates as "Bófi had the stone cut in memory of Þjóðkell/Þorkell.