Finland chooses new metropolitan: Orthodox church in change!

Finland chooses new metropolitan: Orthodox church in change!

In an important event for the Orthodox Church of Finland, Metropolitan Elia von Oulu was elected as the new head on November 28. The election took place in the Valamo monastery and was held by a meeting of clergymen and laypersons. Metropolitan Elia follows Metropolitan Leo, who has managed the church since 2001. In interviews with Finnish media, the new archbishop has made it clear that he will continue the course of his predecessor in relation to the Russian Orthodox Church. This includes a clear rejection of the support of the Moscow patriarchy for the warfare of Russia. He also criticized the Serbian Orthodox Church because of its close connections to Moscow, such as kathpress reported.

important reforms and enthronement

Metropolitan Elia plans to also discuss the role of women within the church and is open to internal church reforms. The bishop's synod will deal with these topics, but is part of the ecumenical patriarchy and must first obtain its consent. His choice has now also been confirmed in Istanbul, where he took part in the celebrations for the Andreasfest, the synod of the ecumenical patriarchy. The enthronement of the new head is scheduled for December 15th in the Uspenski Cathedral in Helsinki, a symbolic place for the Orthodox community of Finland.

The Orthodox Church in Finland, despite its only about 60,000 members and a share of 1.1 % in the population, has a special status as a folk church. This was independent in 1921 by the Russian Orthodox Church and has since been subordinate to the ecumenical patriarchy of Constantinople. Interestingly, as already in wikipedia , converted its calendar to the Gregorian, including Easter, after western appointments.