How did Lutheranism reach Finland?

Lutheranism reached Finland primarily through its historical connection to Sweden, which ruled Finland from the 13th century until 1809. As the Swedish crown adopted the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century to diminish the power of the Catholic Church, these religious changes were extended to Finland.12

The central figure in this transition was Mikael Agricola, a Finnish scholar who studied at Wittenberg under Martin Luther. Upon returning, Agricola played a pivotal role in popularizing the Lutheran faith and establishing the Finnish literary language. He was consecrated as the first Lutheran bishop of Turku in 1554 and published several foundational religious works, most notably a translation of the New Testament into Finnish in 1548.132

Following these efforts, Lutheranism was formally declared the official religion of the country in 1593.1