St. Olaf's Church ( fi, Pyhän Olavin kirkko) is a
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
church in the Harju district of
Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä () is a city and municipality in Finland in the western part of the Finnish Lakeland. It is located about 150 km north-east from Tampere, the third largest city in Finland; and about 270 km north from Helsinki, the capital of ...
, in
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
.
After World War II, the Catholic parishes of Karelia and Vyborg Terijoki were merged, with services held in
Lahti
Lahti (; sv, Lahtis) is a city and municipality in Finland. It is the capital of the region of Päijänne Tavastia (Päijät-Häme) and its growing region is one of the main economic hubs of Finland. Lahti is situated on a bay at the southern e ...
. A more central location was sought, however, and so the community moved to a chapel in Jyväskylä on January 10, 1949. Outgrowing this space, a new church was commissioned in 1962. Designed by
Olavi Kivimaa
Olavi is a Finnish masculine given name from Olav/Olaf name. Notable people with the name include:
*Olavi Ahonen (1923–2000), Finnish film actor
* Olavi Alakulppi (1915–1990), Finnish cross country skier who competed in the 1930s
* Olavi Hä ...
, it is an austere concrete structure with a covered facade.
The parish serves most Catholics in central and eastern Finland. In addition to the church, it sponsors a parish center, a
Catholic school
Catholic schools are pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered under the aegis or in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest religious, non-governmental school syste ...
, a student residence, a rectory and apartments.
See also
*
Roman Catholicism in Finland
The Catholic Church in Finland is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.
As of 2018, there were more than 15,000 registered Catholics in Finland out of a total population of 5.5 million. There ...
*
St. Henry's Cathedral
References
External links
Buildings and structures in Jyväskylä
Roman Catholic churches completed in 1962
Christian organizations established in 1949
20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Finland
Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä () is a city and municipality in Finland in the western part of the Finnish Lakeland. It is located about 150 km north-east from Tampere, the third largest city in Finland; and about 270 km north from Helsinki, the capital of ...
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