Valamo

Valamo is a Finnish Orthodox monastery located on Valamo island in Lake Pihlajavesi, in the municipality of Heinävesi, Finland. It is the principal monastic community of the Finnish Orthodox Church and a significant center for Orthodox spirituality, culture, and education in Finland.

A monastic presence on Valamo has roots in the Karelia region. During World War II, the community was evacuated from Finnish Karelia to Finland, and the New Valamo Monastery was established on the island in Heinävesi in the 1940s. The original Karelia site is now in Russia and is commonly referred to as Old Valamo.

Today the monastery complex includes churches, monastic quarters, a bell tower, a cemetery, and a small museum. The main church serves as the liturgical heart of the community and the site houses a notable collection of icons, liturgical artwork, and a library of theological and ecclesiastical works. Valamo also operates a publishing house and a guesthouse, and it hosts spiritual retreats, concerts, and educational programs. Monastic life follows traditional Orthodox rites, with daily services, quiet prayer, fasting, and work in areas such as iconography and publishing.

Valamo plays a role in ecumenical dialogue and serves as a cultural archive for Finnish Orthodoxy, welcoming visitors and pilgrims and contributing to the religious and cultural landscape of Finland.