Churches and tsasounas

The Orthodox faith is known to have influenced the spiritual life of Lake Pielinen and the Karelia region as early as the 16th century. The Orthodox Church was founded in Nurmes officially in 1950. Events leading to its foundation can be traced back to the settlement of the Orthodox population from the Karelian region, which had been lost in the war, to the Nurmes region, among other places. There are many Orthodox churches in the area of Nurmes, and you can see their incredibly beautiful architecture in Nurmes church of St. Peter and St. Paul, the Church of the Holy Trinity in Valamo and the Tsuaouna of the Prophet Elijah. Externally, many of the Orthodox shrines represent the architecture of the 1950s-1960s reconstruction period. The shrines are very decorative and spectacular in many places. The main purpose of the Orthodox Church is to be an icon of the kingdom of God. Indeed, each shrine communicates the kingdom of God in its own unique way and leads people to prayer and silence. The spiritual life has also remained strong in the churches of Nurmes, Valtimo, and Juuka, and efforts have been made to hold services regularly.