Leo Makkonen

His Eminence Leo
Archbishop of Helsinki and all Finland
Native name	Leo Makkonen
Church	Orthodox Church of Finland
Appointed	27 October 2001
Predecessor	Johannes
Orders
Ordination	22 July 1973 by Archbishop Paavali
Consecration	1980 by Archbishop Paavali
Personal details
Born	Leo Makkonen (1948-06-04) 4 June 1948 (age 76) Pielavesi, Finland
Children	1
Occupation	priest

Leo Makkonen is a Finnish Orthodox prelate who serves as Archbishop of Helsinki and All Finland. He is the head of the Finnish Orthodox Church.[1]

Background and career

He was born in Pielavesi in eastern Finland on June 4, 1948. After completing studies in 1972 at the Kuopio seminary, he was ordained deacon on 20 July 1973 and priest two days later.

He was consecrated Bishop of Joensuu on 25 February 1979, then served as Metropolitan of Oulu from 1980–1996. From 1996–2001 he served as Metropolitan of Helsinki, before taking up his post as Archbishop of Karelia;[2] he was confirmed on 27 October 2001.[3]

From 1979–1993 he served as chair of the Fellowship of Saints Sergius and Herman.

Makkonen will retire no later than November 2024.

Private life

Archbishop Leo is a widower. He has one daughter, and two grandchildren.[4]

On his 60th birthday, Leo consecrated an eukterion in his hometown of Pielavesi. Building one had been a long-time dream of his.[5]

Honors

• Order of the Holy Lamb (Finnish Orthodox Church, Grand Master, 2001)[6]
• Order of the Lion of Finland (Finland, 2006)[7]
• Saint Henry Cross (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, 2008)[8]

References

1. ""For the Life of the World"". 21 December 2019.
2. Bernard, Nicolas. "Mitro Repo". Info-Finlande. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
3. Levillain, Philippe; Philippe Boutry; Yves-Marie Fradet (2004). 150 ans au coeur de Rome: le Séminaire français, 1853-2003. Karthala. p. 375. ISBN 978-2-84586-580-8.
4. Leppänen, Veli-Pekka (2018-06-03). "Arkkipiispa Leo on karjalaispoika ja kirkkoisä, joka peräänkuuluttaa ymmärrystä kulttuurien kohtaamisissa". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-04-06.
5. "Arkkipiispa Leo esittelee kotitsasounaansa Pielavedellä". Kaleva (in Finnish). 2008-06-04. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
6. "Muut kunnia- ja ansiomerkit". Ritarikunnat (in Finnish). 2020-10-09. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
7. "Presidentti myönsi lähes 5 500 kunniamerkkiä". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2006-11-30. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
8. "Arkkipiispa Leolle Pyhän Henrikin risti". Kirkon tiedotuskeskus (in Finnish). 2008-06-09. Archived from the original on 2011-09-27.

External links