Archbishop Leo, the head of the Finnish Orthodox Church, has decided to retire. In January 2024, he submitted a request to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to retire during the Easter period of this year. The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate approved this request at its meeting on May 17-18.

According to the Finnish Orthodox Church’s website, Archbishop Leo will continue his duties until a new primate is elected and confirmed by the Ecumenical Patriarch. The new head of the Finnish Orthodox Church will be elected at the Local Council, scheduled to take place from November 25-28, 2024, at the New Valamo Monastery in Heinävesi, North Karelia.

The Finnish Orthodox Church (FOC) is an autonomous church under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. It is the second national church in Finland after the Evangelical Lutheran Church. The FOC has about 50,000 members, representing roughly 1% of the country’s population.

Archbishop Leo (Makkonen) has led the Finnish Orthodox Church for twenty-three years. Born in 1948, he became a parish priest after graduating from seminary and university, and also taught religious education in school. He was consecrated as a bishop in 1979 and served as the Metropolitan of the Diocese of Oulu. From 1996 to 2001, he managed the Helsinki Metropolis before being elected head of the Finnish Church at the Church Council of the Finnish Archdiocese in 2001, receiving the title of Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland.