The church may abandon the hold of cemeteries due to government savings
Rug|Already the government’s previous cuts had made the Church consider giving up the funeral.
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland says that additional government surgery threatens its ability to organize a funeral activity.
The government intends to reduce the Church’s funding of EUR 10 million in 2026 and 2027.
In May, the church meeting will discuss the abandonment of the funeral and its transfer to the welfare areas.
Government Additional surgery for the Church threatens the Church’s ability to organize funeral activities, reports the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.
In the mid -term, the government outlined that it would reduce the financing of the Evangelical Lutheran and Orthodox Church by one -off EUR 10 million in 2026 and 2027.
« The task of the church is to bless the grave and support people in the midst of sadness. This is done with the church tax funds paid by members. Pekka Huokuna in the bulletin.
« These services are provided equally to all people, whether or not they are members of the church, » he says.
State In 2003, it has given the funeral functions of the funeral to the Church and pay compensation. From the beginning of 2025, the state already cut this compensation by 19.6 million.
The church may also charge fees for the funeral. The Church has estimated the total cost of the 2025 funeral service of approximately EUR 170 million. About half of this, or EUR 85 million, must be financed by payment revenue.
According to the Huoksuus, the new cuts now presented are in a whole new situation. Previous cuts made the churches raise the funeral fees in December.
« Earlier cuts already triggered a discussion in the Church about whether the Church should abandon the management of the funeral. Church members are already in an unequal position when the members of the church had to be used for a social task. »
To a church assembly is in May to come to referral discussion Representative Initiative for a Funeral Affection.
« The funeral of a social task could be the responsibility of the welfare areas. If the funeral was transferred to a welfare operator, its cost structure would at least be difficult to reduce, » the initiative writes.
