wfn.org | Finnish church troubled by increased cemeteries' vandalism

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

Security tightened in many parish burial grounds

TURKU, Finland/GENEVA, 25 August 1999 (lwi) - Following incidences of
increased vandalism in Finland's cemeteries this summer, the Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Finland (ELCF) Church Council is surveying threats
against the church's property and employees.

According to the ELCF Church Information Center, security has been
tightened in many parish cemeteries and churches. Some parishes have
employed security firms and installed surveillance cameras, but for many
parishes this measure is too expensive. In some places parishioners have
organized volunteer guards among themselves.

On the overall during summer, cemeteries in Finland have experienced an
exceptionally high amount of vandalism. In some 20 cemeteries an
estimated 1,200 grave markers have been overturned. These incidents have
taken place both in cities and rural areas. Only northern Finland and
Lapland have escaped the vandalism.

The spate of cemetery vandalism has shaken Finns who traditionally honor
their past generations. Cemeteries are well maintained. Flowers are
placed on graves in summer and candles in winter.

According to the Church Information Center, the acts of vandalism are
nearly always the same. Graves are violated by overturning crosses and
gravestones which are used as burial monuments. Flowers are also
frequently uprooted from the ground, lanterns are destroyed, and
sometimes crosses are pulled from the ground and placed upside down. In
at least one incident, the grave was dug open and the skull removed.

Devil worshippers are suspected to be behind some of this vandalism. On
the other hand, these cemetery terrorists are usually youths. Some
vandals taken into custody have blamed alcohol use for their actions.
These incidents of vandalism have received much attention in the media.

A member of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the ELCF has a
membership of 4.5million people, representing 86 percent of Finland's
population.

(The LWF is a global communion of 128 member churches in 70 countries
representing 58 million of the world's 61.5 million Lutherans. Its
highest decision making body is the Assembly, held every six or seven
years. Between Assemblies, the LWF is governed by a 49-member Council
which meets annually, and its Executive Committee. The LWF secretariat
is located in Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information is the information service of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF). Unless specifically noted, material presented
does not represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various
units. Where the dateline of an article contains the notation (lwi), the
material may be freely reproduced with acknowledgment.]

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Lutheran World Information
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/