hiippakunnat

Hiippakunnat is the Finnish term for dioceses, which are ecclesiastical districts within some Christian churches. In Finland, the term is used for the main administrative units of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and the Finnish Orthodox Church. Each hiippakunta is led by a bishop who has pastoral and administrative responsibility for the parishes within the diocese, including clergy assignments, confirmations, and the supervision of church activities. The diocese is typically centered around a cathedral which serves as the bishop's episcopal seat. The diocese also maintains a diocesan office and council handling finances, education, missions, and social work, and it coordinates with local parishes (seurakunnat) in matters of worship and liturgy.

Hiippakunnat evolved from medieval church organization and reflect the territorial approach to church governance. In the Lutheran tradition in Finland, the archbishop is the primate of the church, while the country is divided into several hiippakunnat. The Orthodox Church reorganizes into dioceses with their own bishops and forms part of the wider Eastern Orthodox communion. The exact structure and number of hiippakunnat can differ between churches and evolve over time through church law.