Military bishop
Military bishop is a military rank and position within the Finnish [Defence Forces]. The Military Bishop is the leader of both Evangelical [Lutheran Church of Finland|Lutheran] and Orthodox Church|Orthodox] priests and deacons serving in the army as military chaplains. The office was founded by President Risto Ryti in 1941. The position of military bishop is comparable to that of a brigadier general.
Though the Military Bishop is styled "bishop" and is a member of the Synod of Bishops of the Lutheran Church of Finland">Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland">Lutheran Church of Finland, he is not a "bishop" in the doctrinal sense of the term. Military bishops are not ordained as bishops and cannot in turn ordain priests. Their jurisdiction, the Finnish Defence Forces, does not constitute a diocese, and military chaplains belong to the dioceses of their assigned stations. Similarly, the service members belong to the parishes of their domiciles.
Military Bishops of the Finnish Defence Forces
- Johannes Björklund 1941–1956
- Toivo Laitinen 1956–1969
- Yrjö Massa 1969–1978
- Viljo Remes 1978–1986
- Jorma Laulaja 1986–1995
- Hannu Niskanen 1995–2012
- Pekka Särkiö 2012–2023
- Pekka Asikainen 2023–present