Espoo marks Easter with concerts, community and culture

By admin On Apr 10, 2025

Espoo Cathedral will soon be closed for renovation, but you can still come and celebrate Easter at the Cathedral in concerts or the Vigil (in Finnish). Photo: Jukka Granström / Espoon seurakunnat

Espoo’s Evangelical Lutheran parishes will offer a full programme of spiritual and cultural events this Easter, including classical concerts, community lunches, and multilingual services. The season also offers a final opportunity to attend events at Espoo Cathedral before it closes for a two-year renovation.

The Easter season remains one of the most visited times of the year for Espoo’s churches.

According to Sheldon Ylioja, cantor of Espoo Cathedral Parish, interest has been especially strong among younger audiences, with last year’s Stabat Mater concert drawing a full house.

Concerts this year feature works by Bach, Verdi, Mozart, Pergolesi, Rutter and others, including Liszt’s Via Crucis. Most performances take place in Tapiola, Espoonlahti, Olari and Leppävaara churches. The Good Friday Stabat Mater performance at Espoo Cathedral will again feature the vocal ensemble Munx Gregoriana, known for its focus on medieval sacred music.

While the Cathedral’s church hall will fall silent after Easter, services and events will continue elsewhere throughout the city.

In addition to music and worship, the Easter season includes gatherings that reflect the city’s international population.

Events at Suvela Chapel include a multicultural women’s evening on 10 April, a family club on 11 April, and a bilingual Palm Sunday worship service on 13 April. Ukrainian Easter will be celebrated at Chapple in Iso Omena on Easter Monday, while an Arabic-language Maundy Thursday Mass takes place on 17 April.

Kilonristi offers a worship and Eucharist service in Igbo and English on Sunday 13 April. Espoo International Lutheran Worship will also hold a bilingual Palm Sunday service that day at Suvela Chapel.

Soukka Chapel will host a fellowship and dance party on 12 April.

For those seeking informal interaction with local church staff, pastors and deacons from Olari Parish will be available for conversation at Naapuruustalo Matinkylä on 17 April.

Espoo parishes are continuing their community lunch initiative at Olari Church, with the next lunch scheduled for 10 April. Though paused during Holy Week, lunches resume later in April.

The Easter Vigil takes place across all Espoo parish churches at 11 PM on Saturday 19 April. At Karakappeli, the vigil begins with Easter bonfires before a pilgrimage to Leppävaara Church. Pilgrims are welcome to arrive on foot, by bike or using public transport.

Easter Sunday’s international service at Tapiola Church includes a family-friendly worship, egg hunt, and potluck. A supervised play area will be available for children. The service will be streamed online via the parish’s YouTube channel.

Churches advise visitors to use public transport due to limited parking.

Key Easter concert highlights in Espoo

Sat 12 April, 6 PM – John Rutter’s Requiem, Espoonlahti Church
Sun 13 April, 6 PM – Palm Sunday Concert, Tapiola Church
Sun 13 April, 7 PM – Mozart Evening, Espoo Cathedral
Mon 14 April, 6 PM – Liszt’s Via Crucis, Leppävaara Church
Wed 16 April, 7 PM – Via Crucis Concert, Tapiola Church
Fri 18 April, 3 PM – Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Espoo Cathedral
Fri 18 April, 6 PM – Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri, Olari Church

Easter 2025 – main dates

Holy Week: 14–20 April
Good Friday: 18 April
Holy Saturday: 19 April
Easter Sunday: 20 April
Easter Monday: 21 April
Ascension Day: 29 May

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi