The dominant religion in Helsinki is Christianity and its various denominations are followed by the people. The majority of the population in Helsinki are Lutheran, while others belong to Orthodox Church.
Freedom of religion in Helsinki is guaranteed to all the residents of the city. It was the Freedom of Religion Act of 1923, which granted this liberty. Thus the citizens can establish any religious denomination freely and follow them without any inhibition. Since 1923 the state does not affirm the Lutheran faith and assumes a neutral attitude to all religions.
Along with Christianity, there are other religions, which are professed in Helsinki. Thus there are also Catholic, Islamic and Jewish congregations and
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various smaller religious communities in Helsinki.
Some of the important places of worship in Helsinki are the Anglican Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church of Finland. Among these the 2 national churches in Helsinki are the Lutheran and the Orthodox churches.
Religious teaching is offered in various schools of Helsinki. However it is in accordance with the confession of the majority of students in the school. If the pupils do not belong to any denomination, they are free to study various philosophies of life.
A knowledge of religion in Helsinki throws light on the liberal outlook of the city.
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