Some come to celebrate the holy spirit, others seek the solitude and majesty of nature. Regardless of its guests’ motivation, though, Finland’s Valamo Monastery opens its doors to all visitors looking to relax and reenergize. This small Orthodox monastery in the lake region of Eastern Finland has become a popular destination among native and foreign guests looking for a secluded, natural experience that large hotels and resorts can’t offer.

During the summer months (early June to late August) Valamo Monastery hosts hundreds of visitors daily, but even then it is easy to find a quiet corner for a tranquil stay. Stay overnight and you can hear the ring of church bells calling monks and travelers to the evening service.

Dashing th rough the snow

Winter, however, is definitely the ideal time to experience everything the monastery has to offer. The months from November to March turn the beautiful countryside embracing the monastery to a winter wonderland. During these months, Valamo Monastery visitors need to be prepared for a Northern winter temperatures usually range from minus 10 to minus 20 degrees Celsius and, for a short period, they can reach as low as minus 35 degrees Celsius.

Photo Paivi Arvonen
Originally a stable, the White Guest House was
rebuilt first to house monks and now visitors
to the Monastery.
It is also worth noting that daylight time is limited, and even when there are no clou ds to hide the sunshine, the sun always stays low on the horizon. Once you’re armed with warm, windproof winter clothes, you are ready to brave the snowy world of the Valamo Monastery.

The staff is always eager to help visitors plan and book their winter sport activities snowshoeing and ice fishing are popular choices. The former allows you to hike through the forest wearing wide shoes specially designed for walking on the deep, snowy surface. Snowshoes, which look like tennis rackets fastened to the soles of your boots, date back thousands of years when Finns needed a way to move around the sparsely populated country during the long winter. Nowadays, snowshoes are mostly used by tourists looking for an exotic experience. It’s great fun, but you need a local guide to lead you through the towering trees and the snow-covered hills.

Compared to snowshoe hiking, ice fishing is popular in any part of Finland where you can find a seaside,lake, pond or river. The locals enjoy organizing competitions to see who can catch the most fish from a hole drilled through the thick ice. It is even possible to catch salmon from ice-holes around the lakes of the monastery.

Well-marked routes allow for Nordic or cross-country skiing around the monastery, and skiers can choose one of many paths suited to their physical condition and previous skiing experience. Experts will find tracks covering up to 17 kilometers, while beginners have shorter alternatives. Two tracks are lit for skiers who want to explore the forest during the dark morning and late evening hours. Every February, the Valamo Monastery hosts the Monastery Skiing Event.

Downhill or alpine skiers should head to Paaskyvuori, a nearby winter-sports center that features four ski runs ranging between 400 and 470 meters in length, with two ski lifts that take you 102 meters to the top of the slopes. Paaskyvuori also has snowmobil es available for rent, with guided tours along the two basic snowmobile routes: one 32 kilometers long and the other 105 kilometers.

Water world

Finland is saturated with thousands of lakes, and the area around the Valamo Monastery is surrounded by lakes, ponds, rivers and six canals. Water routes around the Monastery create the perfect place for canoeing, and most of these routes are also suitable for boating and yachting.

The landscape around the monastery is rich with evidence of prehistoric culture: Rock paintings preserved from the Finnish Stone Age (8000 1300 B.C.) portray the lives of ancient hunters. A more contemporary piece of history is found on the waterways connecting Valamo Monastery and the smaller Lintula Convent nearby. The watercraft used on this route are traditional Finnish “church boats” powered by 14 rowers. These boats were used in the 17th century A.D. to transport people fro m the countryside to the villages for Sunday church services. These ships are the smaller cousins of the immense wooden boats constructed by Scandinavian Vikings between 800 and 1000 A.D.

Another great opportunity to admire Finland’s forests is to cruise along the lakes and canals via motorboat, which have been used on these narrow routes for more than 100 years. A boat called MS Sergei, named after the monastic order’s founder, sets out on its 90-minute cruise from Valamo every day during the summer.

A spiritually invigorating experience

Complementing the peace and tranquility of Valamo’s countryside is the Monastery Church, which offers daily services open at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. during the week and on Sundays at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. During the summer months, there is an additional daily service at 1 p.m. These schedules vary on Orthodox feast days, such as Christmas (January 7).Visitors wishing to attend services are reminded to dress appropriately no tight clothes, shorts or bare arms and legs and refrain from taking photos during the service. While all are encouraged to attend, Holy Communion is available for members of the Orthodox Church only.

The history of the Valamo Monastery begins in the area known as Karelia, which is now part of Russia. Valamo is named after an island in Karelia’s Lake Ladoga, where the first monastery was built in the 10th century. The original enclave, founded by a monk named Sergei, was destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries, reaching its largest size during the 19th century. Forced to evacuate during the 1940 Winter War, the monks found a new home in Finland’s Heinavesi municipality, where the current Valamo Monastery stands. Now there are approximately 20 monks living year-round on the premises, with dozens returning each summer to live and work.

Architect Ivan Kudrayavzev designed th e main church, completed in 1977, in the Nordic Byzantine style. Consecrated to the Transfiguration of Christ, a central event recorded in the gospels, Valamo’s main church houses treasures from the Orthodox Church in Finland, including an icon of the Mother of God of Konevitsa, which is said to have worked miracles, along with other icons and relics from the original monastery in Karelia.

There is also a smaller “winter church” which is more of a memorial to the monks who founded the original monastery in Karelia.

The Karelian heritage lives on in the monastery’s restaurant Trapesa (Greek for dining table) which can hold up to 200 people. In addition to buffet lunches and dinners, Trapesa also has a Slavic menu featuring Russian entrées (these special meals must be requested in advance). During the summer, groups can request a Valamo Tea Table, the modern version
of the Russian Tea Table.

Photo Paivi Arvonen
A small wine cellar with the Valamo
winery symbol on the door.

The monks of Valamo produce their own white and red currant wine and a dessert liqueur made from herbs, berries andhoney. Both are available at the monastery gift shop, along with Orthodox icons and other religious materials.

Valamo attracts the Orthodox faithful as well as the curious tourist, and offers a variety of accommodations to suit every visitor’s needs. Those looking for a taste of monastic isolation can stay at the White Guest House, where you sleep in monk’s cells inside a building that was originally constructed as a stable. The Red Guest House was renovated as a hostel from the wagon shed belo nging to the old manor. Both guesthouses have small, basic bedrooms for one to three persons, with a shared shower and toilet.

Valamo also has a modern hotel that can accommodate 56 people in double or single rooms. The rooms of the hotel are comfortable and cozy, but do not have radios or televisions. The monastery wants to be faithful to its most important aim: to provide a relaxing place for people seeking silence and peace of mind.
(Source: Travel Today Arabia, January February Issue 2005)

About the author: Finnish journalist and photographer Paivi Arvonen first came to Cairo in 2001 and has returned again and again. She’s currently in Egypt’s capital studying Arabic and freelancing for international media. In honor of Orthodox Christmas,
Arvonen explores a winter wonderland at a Finnish monastery. More about Paivi Arvonen
www.timantti-idea.net

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