The Church Council of the Orthodox Church of Finland elected Metropolitan Elia (M.Div. ‘03) as primate during a vote held in the main church of Valamo Monastery on November 28.
Following his election, Metropolitan Elia traveled to Constantinople on Friday, November 29, to participate in the feast day of St Andrew the First-Called at the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Holy Synod of the Patriarchate convened on Sunday, December 1, to canonically select and confirm the Archbishop-elect. The newly elected Archbishop began his duties immediately and returned to Finland late the next evening.
The official enthronement ceremony took place at Uspenski Cathedral, Helsinki on December 15, 2024, during the Divine Liturgy.
This election marks a new chapter for the Finnish Orthodox Church as Metropolitan Elia assumes the role of Archbishop, bringing with him a wealth of experience in education, pastoral care, and theological scholarship.
Several faculty members at St Vladimir’s Seminary have fond memories of either teaching or studying with Metropolitan Elia, then Matti Walgren, during his days at St Vladimir’s Seminary. “He was a much-loved student,” said Professor of Systematic Theology, Dr Peter Bouteneff. “All who knew him at seminary are delighted to hear of his enthronement; we wish him good strength and will be praying for him in his new role.”
After graduating from St Vladimir’s Seminary, Metropolitan Elia returned as the 2015 Commencement speaker (listen to his Commencement address here). Metropolitan Elia has noted that his "best years and most challenging years" were when he studied at St Vladimir's. He credited the influence of three seminary Deans—Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann, Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, and Archpriest John Behr—as being key in his formation as an Orthodox priest.
Metropolitan Elia is one of over 50 Orthodox hierarchs whom St Vladimir’s Seminary counts among its alumni. Among the hierarchs are one patriarch, archbishops, bishops, and several metropolitans.
About Metropolitan Elia:
Archbishop Elia was born on December 8, 1961, in Kajaani, Finland. His educational journey began at Stockholm University, where he studied Swedish and Czech languages from 1982 to 1984. He graduated as a primary school teacher from Stockholm's Teacher Education College in 1986. Later, he pursued Orthodox theology at the University of Joensuu between 1996 and 2001 and earned a Master of Divinity degree from St Vladimir's Seminary in New York in 2003.
Professionally, Archbishop Elia worked as a primary school teacher in Haninge Municipality from 1986 to 1989 and in the City of Helsinki from 1989 to 1993. He also served as a Swedish language immersion teacher in Helsinki from 1993 to 1996 and again from 1999 to 2001. Between 1997 and 1999, he taught Orthodox religion in Uusimaa.
His journey in the Orthodox Church began in 1994. He was ordained a deacon on May 29, 2003, and a priest on September 1, 2003. He served as a priest in the Jyväskylä Orthodox Parish from 2003 to 2006 and as the parish priest of the Vaasa Orthodox Parish from 2006 to 2014. On November 26, 2014, he was elected Metropolitan of Oulu. Shortly thereafter, he was tonsured as a monk with the name Elia on December 16, 2014, and was consecrated as a bishop and installed as Metropolitan of Oulu on January 11, 2015.
Archbishop Elia has received notable honors, including being named Commander of the Order of the Holy Lamb on November 26, 2023, and being appointed Chairman of the Board of the Finnish Ecumenical Council for the term 2025–2027. In addition to his native Finnish, His Eminence in fluent in several other languages.
Adapted from ort.fi
