New Valamo
New Valamo or New Valaam (Finnish: Uusi Valamo, or simply Finnish: Valamon luostari) is an Orthodox monastery in Heinävesi, Finland. The monastery was established in its present location in 1940.
The relocation of the monastery
In 1939, during the Winter War, some 190 monks from the Valamo Monastery in Karelia were evacuated from their old abode on a group of islands in Lake Ladoga in the Viipuri Province to present Eastern Finland. The old Valamo Monastery was occupied by the armed forces of the Soviet Union quite soon after the outbreak of the Winter War.
After a temporary dwelling place the monks decided to settle down in Heinävesi in Eastern Finland. The choice fell on a mansion in Papinniemi, Heinävesi, after the monks had found there, quite surprisingly, an icon of St. Sergius and St. Herman of Valaam, the founders of the monastery in the 12th century. The monks considered this to be a sign from God.[1][2] Having received evacuees from the Konevsky (Konevitsa) and Pechenga (Petsamo) monasteries, it is now the only monastery for men of the Finnish Orthodox Church.[3]
Recent developments
Archimandrite Sergei is discharged as head of the monastery
Archbishop Leo of Karelia and All Finland discharged Igumen Sergei from the position of the leader of the monastery in November 2011. The background of this action was the long-standing disagreements of Fr. Sergei and the financial director of the monastery, Mr. Veikko Halonen. These two men had been said to have been in a “collision course.” At the time of these events, the monastery was 800,000 Euros in debt, and the economy had shown losses for the past several years.[4]
Archbishop Leo had told the igumen that the monastery should continue in dual leadership, but Fr. Sergei did not agree to this and fired Mr. Halonen. After this the archbishop made his own decision and fired Fr. Sergei and reinstated Mr. Halonen. Bishop Arseni of Joensuu was appointed as temporary head of the monastery.[4][5]
According to Arseni, this arrangement is a temporary one, and in time there will be a vote of the leader within the brotherhood. However, it may take months or even years before this will happen.[4]
There are various opinions about these developments, and especially in the internet. Soon after Igumen Sergei was discharged, four members of the brethren announced in the monastery website that they back the decisions of Archbishop Leo. A dissenting voice was made public by a certain member of the board of Friends of Valamo, who founded an internet address in support of the reinstating of Fr. Sergei. With the instructions of the board of the monastery, Bishop Arseni let this person know that she is not welcome to the monastery for the next three years.[4][6] It is said that even within the monastery there are dissenting views about these events.[5]
Other Orthodox monastic communities in Finland
The Finnish Orthodox Church has also a monastery for women, Lintula Holy Trinity Convent, which is situated 18 kilometres (11 mi) from New Valamo, in Palokki, Heinävesi.[7]
References
- ^ "Ortodoksinen kirkko Suomessa"( The Orthodox Church in Finland) (ed. by Fr. Ambrosius and Markku Haapio) (1979) p. 287
- ^ "Orthodoxy in Finland, Past and present (ed. by V. Purmonen)(1984) p.41
- ^ "Orthodoxy in Finland, Past and present" (ed. V. Purmonen) (1984) pp. 41–42
- ^ a b c d Keskiaho, Saila (15 Feb 2011). "Valamo etsii suuntaansa kriisin jälkeen ('Valamo is looking for a new direction after a crisis')". Kirkko ja kaupunki (‘Church and the City’). No. 6/2012. The Parish Union of Helsinki. p. 4–5.
- ^ a b "Erottaminen herättää keskustelua ('Sacking causes a debate')". YLE uutiset.
- ^ "Vetoomus am. Sergein palauttamiseksi Valamon luostarin johtajaksi ('Petition to reinstate Archimandrite Sergei as the head of the Valamo Monastery')". adressit.com.
- ^ "Lintulan Kroniikka" (The Cronicle of Lintula ) edited by Archmandrite Panteleimon (1992) p. 96
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