Chapels

What is a chapel?

Chapels typically don't have any separate altar room. In Carelia it used to be traditional to have a chapel, which was called 'tsasouna', in every village. They were used to read layman services from the book of the hours. The word 'tsasouna' comes from the Russian word that means hour or moment.

Chapel of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

The chapel next to the monastery quay was built in 1987 and was dedicated to the memory of Saint Nicholas who is consider a helper of travellers by sea and anyone who is distressed. In the western tradition, archbishop Nicholas of Myrrh in Lycia has been considered the prototype of Santa Claus.

The log chapel is decorated with woodcarvings and resembles the chapel in Mantsinsaari village in Salmi, Carelia, next to Lake Ladoga. It was built by villagers in the middle of the 19th century as a sign of gratitude for having been saved from distress on the lake. The chapel was built by Nikolai Jokiniemi, and the icons at the east wall were painted by Maila Mäkinen. The icons depict Christ Pantokrator, Mother of God of Valamo and Saint Nicholas who is saving people from distress by sea. The chapel also has icons of Transfiguration of Christ and Saints Serge and Herman of Valamo and two older icons, Christ Pantokrator and Saint Nicholas, that were given as a gift by former inhabitants of Salmi.

Chapel of Saint Herman of Alaska

The chapel at the cemetary was built in 1981 and is dedicated to Saint Herman of Alaska. Saint Herman was a monk of Valamo monastery who became a missionary in Alaska at the end of the 18th century. He was canonised as a saint in 1970 and his annual day of commemoration is August 9.

The chapel represents typical Carelian wooden architecture. The new icons on the East wall of the chapel depict Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk, Christ being taken down from the cross, Deisis group consisting of Christ, Mother of God Mary and Saint John the Baptist, Resurrection of Christ and Saint Herman of Alaska. The old icons on the side walls were painted in the 19th century and they depict Saint John the Baptist and Entrance of Virgin Mary to the tempel. The small icon of Saint Herman of Alaska was painted by rassophore monk Vasily in 2000, he is now known as hieromonk Vladimir.

Chapel of Saint John the Baptist and Forerunner

The chapel of Saint John the Baptist and Forerunner was dedicated in June 2006. The chapel was designed by architect Sakari Siitonen.

The chapel was built at the initiative of friends of the monastery and by funds donated by individual friends of the monastery as well as the society of the friends of Valamo, and is located in the immediate vicinity of the cemetery. The chapel is near the grave of schemahegoumen John, and the chapel was built also to honour the memory of schemahegoumen John who also lived in the skete of Saint John the Baptist in the original location of the Valamo monastery on the Valamo (Valaam) island in Lake Ladoga.

The icons of the Mother of God of Kazan, Christ made without hands and Saint John the Forerunner have been painted by His Grace Arseny, bishop of Joensuu. The icon of the nativity of Saint John the Forerunner has been painted by architect Sakari Siitonen.

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Valamo Monastery
Valamontie 42
79850 Uusi-Valamo
Phone +35817 570 111

Valamo Lay Academy
Valamontie 42
79850 Uusi-Valamo
Phone +358 17 5701401

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