Finland Religious Records

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Finland

Religious Records

Bahá'í Faith Records

The faith was introduced to Finland in the 1920s and has since established a small but active community. The Bahá'í National Spiritual Assembly of Finland oversees the community's activities and represents its interests. There is said to be only about 500 Bahá'í Faith followers in Finland.

Buddhist Records

There are 12 Buddhist Temples in Finland and only around 0.1% of the population are said to be practicing Buddhists.

Catholic Records

The 1600s marked a significant decline for Catholicism in Finland due to the Protestant Reformation. Lutheranism became the dominant religion, and Catholic practices were suppressed. However, small Catholic communities persisted, particularly in areas with close ties to other Catholic countries. During the 1800s, there was a revival of Catholicism in Finland, with the establishment of new parishes and the growth of Catholic organizations. Today, while the Catholic Church is still a minority religion in Finland, it has an active community with a growing number of members.

• See Finland Church Records for more resources.

Hindu Records

Prior to the late 1900s, there were few Hindus in the country. However, with increased immigration from India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, particularly due to the technology boom in the early 2000s, the Hindu community has grown significantly. Today, there are estimated to be around 11,000-15,000 Hindus in Finland.

Islamic Records

The history of Islam in Finland is relatively recent, dating back to the late 1800s. The first Muslims to arrive in Finland were primarily Tatar merchants from the Russian Empire. These Tatars, who were predominantly Sunni Muslims, settled in various parts of Finland and maintained their cultural and religious traditions.

In the mid-1900s, there was a second wave of Muslim immigration to Finland, primarily from countries such as Morocco, Algeria, and Iraq. This wave of immigration was fueled by economic opportunities and political instability in their home countries. The growing Muslim population in Finland led to the establishment of Islamic organizations and the construction of mosques.

Jewish Records

• See Finland Jewish Records for more resources.
  

Many of the first Jews to arrive were Russian soldiers (known as cantonists) in the 1800s who stayed in Finland after their military service ended. The two synagogues in active use today in Finland were built by Jewish congregations in Helsinki and Turku in 1906 and 1912, respectively. The Vyborg Synagogue (built 1910–1911) was destroyed by Russian air bombings on 30 November 1939, the first day of the Winter War. Today, Finland is home to around 1,800 Jews, of which 1,400 live in the Greater Helsinki area and 200 in Turku. Finnish and Swedish are the most common mother tongues of Jews in Finland, and many also speak Yiddish, German, Russian or Hebrew.

Orthodox Records

• See Finland Church Records for more resources.
  

While the majority of Finns today are Lutheran, Orthodox Christianity remains a significant minority religion, particularly in the eastern parts of the country. During the Middle Ages, Finland was part of the Russian Orthodox Church. However, the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s led to a decline in Orthodox Christianity as Lutheranism became the dominant religion. Despite this, small Orthodox communities persisted, particularly in areas with close ties to Russia. In the 1800s, there was a revival of Orthodoxy in Finland, with the establishment of new parishes and the growth of Orthodox organizations. Today, the Finnish Orthodox Church is an autonomous branch of the Orthodox Church, with a vibrant and active community.

Protestant Records

• See Finland Church Records for more resources.

Protestantism has a long history in Finland, dating back to the 1500s. During the Protestant Reformation, the Swedish King Gustav Vasa adopted Lutheranism as the official religion of Sweden and Finland, leading to a significant decline in Catholicism. Lutheranism became the dominant faith in Finland. The Lutheran Church of Finland played a crucial role in the development of Finnish identity and language. The church established schools and universities, promoting education and literacy. Lutheranism also influenced Finnish art, music, and literature. While Finland has become more secular in recent decades, Protestantism remains a significant part of the country's religious landscape, with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland being the largest religious denomination.