Isä Veikko Purmosen kotisivut

Curriculum Vitae

The Very Rev. Archpriest Veikko Purmonen, born on the 30th of September, 1941, graduated from the Finnish Orthodox Seminary in 1963 and continued his studies in the United States, at the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary, in Alexandria, Virginia, and at St. Vladimir´s Orthodox Theological Seminary, in Crestwood, New York, receiving the degree of Master of Divinity in 1968. He has done his post graduate studies at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Helsinki specializing in the field of ecumenics. In 1985 – 1986 he studied at the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland. In 1996 he received from the University of Helsinki the post graduate degree of the Licentiate of Theology. The theme of his dissertation was “Neopatristic Theology and Ecumenism. Neopatristic Program of Georges Florovsky as a Theological Basis for the Striving Towards the Unity of the Christendom”.

In addition to his theological studies Veikko Purmonen studied as well in the Philosophical Faculty of the University of Helsinki specializing in history. He received the degree of the Candidate of the Humanistic Sciences in 1977.

Father Veikko Purmonen has served the Finnish Orthodox Church as a teacher and a priest for about 40 years. He has taught Orthodox religion in secondary schools in 1969 – 1977 and has been a lecturer in Practical Theology and Dean of Students at the Finnish Orthodox Theological Seminary in 1977 – 1988. From 1988 until his retirement in 2009 he has been Dean of the Uspensky Cathedral in Helsinki.

Fr. Purmonen has been a member of the General Assembly of the Finnish Orthodox Church in 1975 – 2004, a member of the Church Council in 1989 – 1995 and a member of the Ecclesiastical Court in 1980 – 1986 and in 1998 – 2001. He has been Vice President of Syndesmos, the World fellowship of Orthodox Youth Associations and Theological Schools in 1971 – 1977, Chairman of the Finnish orthodox Clergy Association in 1974 – 1989, Vice-Chairman of the Ecumenical Council of Finland in 1990 – 1999, and a member of the Central Committee of the Conference of the European Churches (CEC) in 1997 – 2009.

The publications of Father Purmonen include the biography of the Estonian born archbishop of the Finnish Orthodox Church “The Life of Archbishop Herman” (1986), a collection of essays and sermons “Palvelemisen tie” (The Way of Service, 1991), “Ortodoksisuutta ajassamme” (Orthodoxy at Our Time, 2000), “Orthodoxy in Finland – Past and Present”, ed. (1981, 2nd ed. 1984)) and “Matkan varrelta” (Along the Way, 2011). He has been the editor of the Finnish Orthodox Theological Year Book “Ortodoksia” in 1085 – 2000.

Father Purmonen is married and he has three grown-up children and six grandchildren. His wife Mariamne Purmonen (born Petsalo) is a teacher of textile work and a textile conservator.