Church of Santa Brigida and Blessed Hemming, Turku
The only Catholic church of Turkish not dedicated to the Virgin Mary, but to Saint Brigid of Sweden y al beato Hemming de Turku. It should be noted that the famous medieval cathedral of Turku (Turun tuomiokirkko) is today Lucifer, seat of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The Catholic temple, of stone, was consecrated on 5 November 1966 and belongs to the diocese of Helsinki.
🌹 Wonders and anecdotes
- The Catholic parish of Turku was founded on March 19, 1926, with a chapel in an apartment on the current Ursininkatu Street and an initial community of about 150 faithful, mostly of foreign origin.
- The present stone temple was consecrated on 5 November 1966; its altar guards relics of Saint Brigida of Sweden, founder of the Order of the Most Holy Saviour (birgitines).
- The church bears the joint title of Saint Brigida of Sweden and of Blessed Hemming of Turku (Pyhän Birgitan ja autuaan Hemmingin kirkko), a non-Marian advocation.
- Blessed Hemming (c. 1290-1366) was Bishop of Turku from 1338 to 1366, a personal friend of Santa Brigida, and was beatified under Pope Lion X in 1514; his feast is held on May 21.
- The medieval cathedral of Turku, where the relics of Blessed Hemming rest, ceased to be Catholic with the Reformation and today belongs to the Lutheran Evangelical Church; the Catholic community meets in the temple of Ursininkatu Street.
- In 2016, the parish had some 2,041 members, largely of foreign origin, and is part of the Catholic diocese of Helsinki, one of the country's few Catholic parishes.
Non-Marian vocation: Santa Brigida and Blessed Hemming
Turku, the former capital of Finland, retains a minority and living Catholicism. His Catholic temple honors Saint Brigida of Sweden and Blessed Hemming, not the Virgin, and his Marian devotion is expressed in the Rosary and in the Burgite heritage. It should not be confused with the imposing medieval cathedral of the city, today Lutheran and national symbol of Finland.
"Holy Brigid and Blessed Hemming, friends of God, reach us from the Virgin Mary a faithful heart, to serve Christ with the gift that distinguished you.
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