Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Morerefs The Archdiocese of Turku is the oldest diocese in Finland. Medieval bishops of the Catholic Church were also de facto secular leaders of the country until the end of the 13th century.

After the Reformation in Scandinavia, Lutheran bishops became state officials. When Finland became a separate grand duchy, the then bishop of Turku was designated as an archbishop in 1817. Since 1868, the archbishops of Turku and Finland have been considered primates of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

Bishop HenryEdit

Henry, Bishop of Uppsala is often mentioned in contemporary sources as the first bishop of Finland. According to legend, the English-born Henry arrived in Finland with King Eric IX of Sweden during the First Swedish Crusade, later suffering martyrdom in the 1150s. His position as Bishop of Finland is, however, totally unhistorical, and not claimed even by legendary accounts.

Catholic bishops of FinlandEdit

  • Rodulff 1156?–1178? (first mentioned in the 15th century, uncertain)
  • Fulco 1178?–1198? (first mentioned in the 15th century, uncertain)

An unnamed Bishop of Finland is mentioned dead in 1209. Papal letters to unnamed Bishops of Finland have survived from 1221, 1229 and 1232.

Catholic bishops of Turku (Åbo, Aboa)Edit

The position Bishop of Finland was renamed Bishop of Turku, first mentioned in 1259, in a move to harmonise the name of the dioceses with other Swedish sees.

  • Ragvald I, 1258–1266
  • Catillus, 1266–1286
  • Johannes I, 1286–1290
  • Magnus I, 1291–1308
  • Ragvald II, 1309–1321
  • Benedictus II Gregor ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), 1321–1338
  • Hemming, 1338–1366
  • Henrik Hartmansson ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), 1366–1367
  • Johannes II Petri ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), 1367–1370
  • Johannes III Westfal, 1370–1384
  • Bero II Balk ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), 1387–1412
  • Magnus II Tavast ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), 1412–1450
  • Olaus Magni ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), 1450–1460
  • Konrad Bitz, 1460–1489
  • Magnus III Nicolai ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), 1489–1500
  • Laurentius Michaelis ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), 1500–1506
  • Johannes IV Olavi ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), 1507–1510
  • Arvid Kurki, 1511–1522
  • Ericus Svenonius, 1523–1527
  • Martti Skytte. 1528–1550

Lutheran Bishops of TurkuEdit

Archbishops of Turku and FinlandEdit

The Bishop of Turku was elevated to archiepiscopal rank in 1817. The title of the see was changed to the Archbishop of Turku and Finland.<ref>Turun piispat (n.1157–1817) sekä Turun ja Suomen arkkipiispat (1817–) Template:Webarchive. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. Retrieved 10-11-2007. Template:In lang.</ref>

Bishops of Turku ArchdioceseEdit

The title Bishop of Turku ceased to exist in 1817. Since 1998, the Archbishop of Turku and Finland has been assisted in the diocese by a Bishop of Turku.

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

Template:Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland