The most sacred place in Finland

Last updated on: September 24, 2019 at 11:11 am by Dan Peterson

The most sacred place in Finland 2019-09-24T11:11:48-06:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Helsinki Finland Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
(LDS Media Library)

The fireside in Helsinki on Sunday night was the biggest of the entire trip. I’m told that there were 308 (or, according to another report, 310) people in a room that has a capacity of 300. Wayne Crosby spoke first. Scott Gordon spoke second. I was the third speaker, and I was followed by Sharon Eubank. I think that the evening went very well.

The Gordons and I had attended sacrament meeting first, in the Espoo Second Ward, and we went from there to the Helsinki Finland Temple, where one of the counselors in the temple presidency (and his wife, one of the assistant temple matrons) took us on a tour of the building. It is very beautiful inside — surprisingly so (to me, anyway) — and I was pleased to see that many of the works of art hanging on its walls are new ones, just received, that I, at least, had not seen before. Our guide told us that there are 45 separate paintings in the temple, and I don’t know whether that number counts the large mural in the first ordinance room.

The Celestial Room of the Helsinki Finland Temple (LDS Media Library)

The Helsinki Finland Temple serves not only Finnish Latter-day Saints but others from various countries, including Estonia and Russia. Recent political difficulties between Russia and Ukraine have obliged Russian Saints to come to Finland rather than going to the temple in Kiev. Fortunately, the signage in the temple is in both Finnish and Russian.

The baptistry of the Finland Helsinki Temple (Photo by Sandy Damaris)

Just shortly before our temple tour, if I understood correctly, a large number of young people from Siberia had come to perform baptisms for the dead. (Temple patron housing is available on the grounds below the temple itself for those who have arrived from long distances.) I have to admit that the thought of groups of Russian youth doing vicarious baptisms on behalf of the dead would not have seemed even a remote possibility to me two or three decades back. I have lived through some remarkable times.

I didn’t expect to receive a tour of the temple, either, but I accepted it gratefully. This is, I think, the fourth dedicated temple where I’ve been privileged to have such an experience provided by a temple president or one of his counselors — in Melbourne, Australia; Vancouver, British Columbia; Nauvoo, Illinois; and Helsinki, Finland. I love temples.

Posted from Helsinki, Finland

Uncategorized

Previous Post

September 24, 2019

"Gentiles in the Book of Mormon" and Murals at Dura Europos

Next Post

September 24, 2019 "Church Donates to Suicide Prevention and Awareness Campaign in Utah"

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who is the apostle to deny Jesus?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Peter Judas Phillip Andrew