The Archbishop of Turku, or the Archbishop of Åbo is the head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.
Influenced by Papal bulls Swedish magnates in the 12th century set up crusadeing expeditions to convert the heathens in the eastern Baltic. This resulted in the establishment of the Catholic Church, the Christian religion and the Swedish conquest of Finland. Åbo, or Turku, became the principal city in Finland and residence of a Bishopric. As a result of Protestant Reformation in the 16th century the Catholic Church had to give way for the Church of Sweden which was established by Gustav I of Sweden, whose principal reformer in Finland was Mikael Agricola and from 1554 also the Bishop.
After the Finnish War Finland became part of the Russian Empire. In 1817 the Bishop was created Archbishop and became head of the Church in Finland. Upon independence in 1917 the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland became a state church of Finland.
Mythological:
Historical:
