Department for External Church Relations
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Archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is installed in Turku
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Archbishop Kari Mäkinen was installed in Turku on June 6, 2010. The ceremony took place at the old cathedral of the 13th century in the presence of the state leaders of the Republic of Finland and many guests from different countries of the world.
Among those attending the divine service were the President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen, Speaker of the Parliament Sauli Niinistö, Minister of Culture and Sport Stefan Wallin, Chief of Defence of the Finnish Defence Forces General Ari Puholoinen, general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation Ishmael Noko, head of the Orthodox Autonomous Church of Finland Archbishop Leo of Karelia and All Finland, and president of the Conference of European Churches Metropolitan Emmanuel of France (Patriarchate of Constantinople).
The Russian Orthodox Church was represented by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, DECR deputy chairman Hegumen Philipp (Ryabykh), DECR acting secretary for inter-Christian relations Rev. Dimitry Sizonenko, and hierodeacon Ioann (Kopeikin), an assistant to the DECR chairman.
Bishop Eero Huovinen of Helsinki addressed the newly installed Archbishop of Turku and Finland and expressed his hope for the unity in the Evangelical Lutheran Church to be a priority in his ministry. "You are a ruling bishop of your diocese like other bishops. However, your new responsibilities will demand care for all the flock, the unity and consolidation of the Church. The good of the whole should be put higher than the interests of any group," he said. These words are very important now, as certain groups within the Evangelical Lutheran Church, to which 80% of the population belongs, are seeking revision of the gospel standards of morality, for instance in the relationship between men and women.
Archbishop Kari Mäkinen delivered a sermon on the parable about the rich man and Lazarus, emphasizing the responsibility of wealthy people for the poor and destitute in modern society.
The installation by the laying on of hands of the Lutheran bishops was followed by vesting Kari Mäkinen in archbishop's attire and handing archbishop's regalia to him.
A reception was given after the ceremony.
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