History of Lohja parish

The establishment of Lohja parish dates back to the 13th century. The new parish had to be large enough to be able to construct a church and a vicarage, and to hire a priest. The founding of a new parish didn´t only require the support of local people. It also called for the support of the bishop and the secular authorities. There were about 100 parishes in Finland at the end of the Medieval Age. Lohja parish was part of the densest parish network.

All the Finnish-speaking modern day administrative areas in Länsi Uusimaa region have separated from Lohja parish in the course of time. (Northern Siuntio, Vihti, Karkkila, Karjalohja, Sammatti, Nummi and Pusula.) The most important local authority until 1865 was the local parish.

The parishes of Karjalohja, Nummi, Pusula and Sammatti were once again merged to Lohja parish in the 1st of January 2013.  

 

The vicars of Lohja parish starting from the year 1323

The vicar, pastor corporis et animae, was the the highest local authority with spiritual and secular matters. Even the local head of the constabulary came second to the vicar. Many of the vicars coming to Lohja were already highly respected men of the church because Lohja was a first-class parish and, above all, it offered very good emoulement.

Catholic time

Ingvaldus

1323

Peder

1382

Olaff

1405

Herman Jacobi

1430

Jacobus Petri Rödh

1432-1433

Matthias Laurentii

1447-1451

Jönes Suupalt

1456

Arvidus Jacobi

1485

Petrus Benedicti

1488-1493

Lutheran time

Anders

1538

Thomas Gregorii

1549-1559

Jöns Martini

1562-1564

Petrus Nikolai Härkä

1565-1579

Thomas Olai

1579-1594

Thomas Simonis

1596-1616

Isaacus Petri Melartopaeus

1617-1624

Klas

1624

Matthias Laurentii

1624-1636

Sveno Torchilli

1638-1670

Johannes Svenonis Forsenius

1670-1675

Gabriel Laurentii Tammelinus

1677-1695

Johannes Forsenius

1695-1705

Abraham Daniels Juslenius

1705-1713

Johan Sennenberg

1716-1719

Gregorius Arctopolitanus

1720-1745

Abraham Roering

1745-1759

Thomas Pacchalenius

1761-1784

Anders Collin

1785-1814

Alexander Lauraeus

1815-1832

Carl Henrik Forsman

1834-1839

Carl Gustaf von Pfaler

1842-1856

Gustaf Fredrik Helsingius

1859-1886

Anders Adrian Candolin

1888-1901

Adolf Alarik Neovius

1902-1913

Emil Alarik Candolin

1913-1933

Einar Fredrik Napoleon Candolin

1935-1950

Akseli Kajanti

1950-1958

Kari Porra

1958-1975

Vilho Haveri

1976-1983

Kaiku Mäenpää

1983-2011

Juhani Korte

2012-

The medieval church of St. Lawrence in Lohja. Photo: The Finnish Heritage Agency
The medieval church of St: Lawrence in Lohja. Photo: The Finnish Heritage Agency

Logo

The logo of Lohja Parish was designed by Finnish graphic artist Tapio Soivio in 1985. Before this the parish didn´t have an official logo. The logo pictures the gable of the Medieval Church of St. Lawrence in Lohja with liturgical colours in the backgroung.

Lohjan seurakunnan logo