päpister
Päpister is a historical Finnish term used to refer to Roman Catholic clergy, particularly priests, and by extension to Catholics as a religious group. The word is typically found in Protestant-era Finnish writings, sermons, and polemical texts, and is now considered archaic or pejorative. In contemporary Finnish, neutral designations include katolilaiset for Catholics and papisto for the Catholic clergy; päpister is rarely used except in discussions of history or literature.
Etymology: The exact origin is not definitively documented, but päpister is understood as a Finnish adaptation
Historical usage: Päpister appeared during the Reformation and in subsequent centuries when Finnish national identity and
Decline and current status: With modernization and more neutral discourse, the term fell out of regular use
See also: Reformation in Finland, Lutheran Church of Finland, Catholic Church, papist.