From Tohmajärvi to a world citizen – father Ambrosius as our monthly guest

“I come from a small village, Tohmajärvi, close to the border in the countryside. After elementary school I moved to Joensuu, where I graduated from high school. On the same year, I started my studies on theology at the University of Helsinki, and soon later, also my studies on political science.”

“When I moved to Helsinki, I was not sure whether I would study theology or social sciences. I was interested in both – not because I wanted to prepare myself to a specific profession, but because I wanted to understand deeper the mystery of life. Social questions interested me greatly.”

After graduating from the faculty of theology, Ambrosius started to think what he would do as an adult.

“As I did not have a family nor a study loan to take care of, I thought that it is not time yet to begin a bourgeois life or bring up kids. Instead, I wanted to go abroad. When I received my master’s degree from theology, I found an advertisement in the local newspaper on a scholarship from the Lutheran church to Hungary. I applied for the scholarship and left to Budapest for a year.”

Life insurance against socialism

“In Hungary, I lived in the theological academy of the Lutheran church, together with other students. I had the opportunity to get acquainted with the local ecclesiastical life. Every other weekend, I visited different Lutheran congregations in the country.”

“As I lacked my master’s thesis in political science, I decided to write my thesis on Hungary’s political history. One topic that quickly came to me was Béla Kun’s Communist republic and its religious policy. It was a short socialist attempt before it was abolished. It was an interesting topic.”

“As a result, I sat with the dictionary in the national archives of Hungary and gathered material. Once back home, I wrote my thesis based on this material gathered from Hungarian sources.”

The year in Hungary left a trace on Ambrosius also in another way.

“It was a socialist society, where the living conditions were quite different compared to western societies. At that time, there was a very strong leftist movement and conviction among Finnish students. I was not part of that movement. Frankly speaking, I did not have any kind of strong political conviction. But it is fair say that my experience in Hungary gave me a good life insurance against socialism.”

Problematic relations between state church and political power

“Another thing, which was important to my later career, was that I understood how properly a small minority church will represent the ecclesiastical tradition of church. In addition, I understood how problematic the close relations between state church and political power can be.”

“The fact that the Lutheran church had to suffer of lot due to its minority status in Hungary reminded me of the role of the Orthodox church in Finland. In addition, I saw a lot of similarities in the experience and understanding of its role in society, and the relations that the Orthodox church had towards other churches in Finland.”

“When I took distance from the traditional state church in Hungary, the Orthodox church came to me as a natural alternative. I was already interested in Eastern mysticism, but not in the sense that it would be also my home church.”

“The year in Hungary sew important seeds to this process. I have told my bishop colleagues in Hungary that you made me an Orthodox.”

“I do not have a critical relationship towards the Lutheran church. This was my spiritual evolution. I just went forward my way.”

Success at the Valamo monastery

After joining the Orthodox church, Ambrosius went to the Valamo monastery, where he was first known as brother Kristoforos. In February 1977, Archbishop Paavali asked him to come to Kuopio and appointed him as the financial manager of the monastery.

“When I started my work at Valamo, the monastery had a debt of 200,000 Finnish marks. When I became a bishop 11 years later, the debt had grown to over 20 million.”

“We did not have any alternatives: it was either closure of operations or constructing something new. During those years, all stone buildings were built that are still in use today.”

“Already then, the Orthodox church raised a lot of interest and tourism. I thought it was much better to provide accommodation and a place for contemplation to the people attracted by Valamo. In addition, I helped to set up a lay academy there in the 1980s.”

From the monastery to a diocesan leader

After Valamo, Ambrosius became assistant bishop of the Orthodox church in Joensuu in 1988. After that, he became bishop of the Orthodox diocese in Oulu in 1996, and finally bishop of the Orthodox diocese in Helsinki in 2002.

According to Ambrosius, the Orthodox church is in many ways more traditional and conservative compared to big Protestant churches, such as the Lutheran church. On the other hand, the Orthodox church has maintained a strong ecclesial approach in the spiritual and theological sense. The rational belief of religion has not become dominant in the Orthodox church.

“The Orthodox church in Finland is in many ways the most progressive among orthodox churches in the world. For instance, we have a democratic administrative system, which lacks in all Eastern European orthodox churches.”

“What comes to the church’s activities, such as female priests, we have a diversity of views about it. Personally, I have said that it is an open question. I do not believe that this will never happen. Many orthodox people – and even more so in the catholic church – disagree with this idea.”

Ambrosius has met also criticism during his career.

“What is crucial is to look forward and show strong spiritual leadership. The critical voices that I have met in our church have been views expressed by a very small group. One should be brave and do what one sees as important.”

Second home in Hungary

Ambrosius still has an apartment in Budapest. “I call it my summer cottage. It represents all the functions of a summer cottage.”

“Hungary was my first experience abroad. I was really touched how much love and admiration people felt towards Finland in rural Hungary. I felt at home there. Still today, when I eat paprika chicken and drink Hungarian wine, I want to go back there.”

“I always advise friends travelling to Hungary that whenever they go to a grocery store or wine bar, they should mention in their second sentence that they come from Finland. The quality of service and atmosphere will improve immediately.”

Ambrosius reminds that Hungary carries a heavy burden from its history. “It was a very strong feudal society. Democracy was first tried only after the collapse of communism.”

“Some current excesses of political power are problematic. But I would not consider them dangerous.”

Ambrosius trusts on Hungary’s positive developments in the future. “The civil society develops constantly in Hungary. In the long term, I believe in a much more humane and people-oriented society.”