Irja Kaarina Askola born December 18, 1952 in Lappeenranta

Lappeenranta

Lappeenranta is a city and municipality that resides on the shore of the lake Saimaa in South-Eastern Finland, about from the Russian border. It belongs to the region of South Karelia. With approximately inhabitants Lappeenranta is the largest city in Finland...

 is the Bishop of Helsinki

Diocese of Helsinki

The Diocese of Helsinki is a Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, and the seat of the Bishop of Helsinki. Its cathedral is Helsinki Cathedral....

 in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is the national church of Finland. The church professes the Lutheran branch of Christianity, and is a member of the Porvoo Communion....

.
The Diocese was established in 1959 by dividing the Diocese of Tampere

Diocese of Tampere

The Diocese of Tampere is the second oldest and the largest diocese in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. It is divided into 69 parishes with a total population of over 660,000 people. The diocese is led by the Bishop of Tampere.-History:...

. It covers only 1% of the country's territory, but contains 10% of the population. The diocese comprises 39 parishes. It was divided again in 2002, when the western part became the Diocese of Espoo

Diocese of Espoo

The Diocese of Espoo is the newest of the nine dioceses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The diocese came into existence in 2004 after the Diocese of Helsinki was split in two. The seat of the diocese is the Espoo Cathedral and its first and current bishop is Mikko Heikka. In...

2004. Irja Askola was ordained on 12 September 2010, and thus become the first female bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

Biography

Askola has also served on the Ecumenical Council and in the Conference of European Churches, based in Geneva, from 1991 to 1999.