Funeral

The entire course of life appears in a new light when death comes close to us.  According to our Christian faith, however, death does not gain a final victory.  As Christians we see our deceased ones off to rest in the hope of resurrection and new life.

The time and place for a funeral service

In Espoo, contact the Service Center of the Lutheran congregations (contact info on back cover) to determine the time and place of the funeral service and to get a pastor and an organist for it. The Service Center also serves you when you need to find a gravesite or discuss the maintenance of a tomb or the design of a monument (such as a tombstone) to mark it. If a body is cremated, you can also set a date with the Service Center for the interment of the ashes. Also, if a Lutheran funeral service for a deceased resident of Espoo is held in Helsinki, Kauniainen, Kirkkonummi or Vantaa, ask our Service Center for a pastor. (Farther away you should ask for a local pastor.)

A funeral service may be held in a church or chapel or outdoors at an open grave. In Finland there is usually no hurry to make arrangements; a funeral service is usually held two or three weeks after death. Funeral services are held in Lutheran churches and chapels in Espoo on all days of the week except Sundays and other church holidays. Funeral services are not held on Mondays, however, in two of our cemetery chapels, namely the Espoo chapel near the cathedral and the Kellonummi chapel.

Here is our guide for funeral arrangements (PDF) 

Cemeteries in Espoo

Kellonummi cemetery (Kellonummen hautausmaa)
Address: Kellonummentie 17

Gravesites for coffins and urns and a cemetery grove. Kellonummi also has non-confessional section with all these options as well as an area where cremated remains can be scattered anonymously.

The Chapel cemetery (Kappelin hautausmaa)
Address: Pappilantie 12

Located near the Espoo chapel (near the cathedral). Old tombs as well as new gravesites designated for Finlandís veterans of war.

Cathedral churchyard (Kirkon hautausmaa)
Address: Kirkonmäentie 1

Old tombs; new gravesites not available. It is possible to inter cremated remains here without an urn in a grove.

Gräsa urn cemetery (Gräsan uurnalehto)
Address: Rälssitilankuja 1

Located in the vicinity of the Olari Lutheran church. All kinds of interment of cremated remains are possible here: gravesites for urns, interment in a grove, scattering on a lawn or placement of an urn in a columbarium.

Tapiola urn cemetery (Tapiolan uurnalehto)
Address: Kirkkopolku 6

Located in the vicinity of the Tapiola Lutheran church. Gravesites for urns, a grove and a columbarium are found here.


Lutheran congregations (parishes) in Espoo 
Esbo svenska (Swedish-speaking)
Espoonlahti
Leppävaara
Olari
Tapiola
Tuomiokirkkoseurakunta (Espoo Cathedral Parish)

Funeral.