The former bishop is withdrawing from public appearances for the time being.
Helsinki former bishop Irja Askola has fallen ill this spring.
The diocesan chapter of the diocese informs of Askola’s illness at his and his relatives’ request. Askola does not currently appear at public events or give interviews.
“Bishop Irja has served the church for a long time and pioneering. Now it is important to give him peace to recover. We can all join Bishop Irja in our evening prayer, ”says the bishop Teemu Laajasalo in the bulletin.
Irja Askola was the first woman to be elected bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland in 2010. She retired in 2017.
Askola, who was born in Lappeenranta in 1952, is known, for example, for often taking a stand for justice and tolerance. Askola is not only a priest but also a poet.
Askola was told about his illness earlier Evening News.
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Read more: Finland’s first female bishop Irja Askola is a lover of words and a poet who wants to talk about silenced things
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