Rovaniemi Church

The Rovaniemi Mother Church () is a church located in the city center of Rovaniemi in Lapland, Finland. The 850-seat church, designed by architect Bertel Liljequist, was completed in 1950.Outo paikka: Harva on nähnyt Rovaniemen kirkontornin maisemat - katso video - Lapin Kansa (in Finnish) The earlier church building, completed in 1817, was burnt down by the Germans during the Lapland War on October 16, 1944.Lapin sodassa poltettuja ja säästyneitä rakennuksia - Kotimaa (in Finnish)Suomalaisjoukkoja oli Rovaniemellä vastassa kammottava näky 1944 – "Palava helvetti ja tuomiopäivän kaaos" - Ilta-Sanomat

The specialties of the church include a Christian cross on the roof, which is lit with a red neon light (only visible at night). The choice of color once sparked widespread debate.Punainen risti puhuttaa - Kaleva; from Kirjastolinkit.ouka.fi (in Finnish) The color of the cross is red because of its symbolic meaning: "Bloody Cross on top of the Promissory Note."Markku Seppänen: Virsin lauluin psalttarein: Krankin sukupiirin elämää ja hengellisen musiikin perintöä, p. 126. 2021. . During 2005, Rovaniemi Church was renovated. The most visible change was the renewal of the water cover made copper.Armas Herran kirkot (in Finnish)

The large altar fresco (14 meters high and 11 meters wide) was made by Professor Lennart Segerstråle in 1951. The work is called Elämän lähde ("The Source of Life").Rovaniemen kaupunki: Julkiset taideteokset Rovaniemellä (in Finnish)Pekka Rönkkö: Noitarummusta kirkkauden kruunuun. Lapin kirkkomaalauksia keskiajalta nykypäivään, p. 197-201. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Pohjoinen, 1985. . (in Finnish)Juha Vartiainen: Alttaritauluja Suomen kirkoista, p. 119–120. 2008. . (in Finnish)

References

External links Rovaniemen kirkko - Rovaniemen seurakunta (in Finnish) Rovaniemen kirkko - Museovirasto (in Finnish) Rovaniemi Church, Rovaniemi – Discovering Finland