Report: Finnish Orthodox Church continues to lose parishioners

The Dormition Cathedral in Helsinki. Photo: Wikipedia

On January 10, 2026, a report was published indicating that the Finnish Orthodox Church, under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, continues to lose parishioners. In 2025, the number of registered believers decreased once again, according to official data.

By the end of the year, the Church counted 55,439 parishioners – 168 fewer than at the end of 2024. Despite some slowdown in the rate of outflow, the overall trend remains negative, the report states. As in previous years, the Finnish Orthodox Church lost about a thousand parishioners, and the reduction was only partially compensated by new registrations.

At the same time, statistics show a notable imbalance between parishes. More than half of the communities recorded growth in the number of believers, particularly in Helsinki, Turku, Jyväskylä, and Tampere. In some cases, the changes are related to administrative redistribution of municipalities between parishes.

Positive dynamics are noted in the dioceses of Helsinki and Oulu, while in the dioceses of Kuopio and Karelia, growth is constrained by the age structure of the flock and the high number of burials. Migration processes, according to registration and language data, are predominantly directed toward the southern regions of the country.

The report also points to persistent demographic problems: the number of baptisms in 2025 remains low, while the number of burials does not decrease. These factors continue to have a negative impact on the overall membership of the Finnish Orthodox Church.

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