Holy Week and Easter are the deepest and most beautiful time of the year at Valamo Monastery. The Divine Services of the monastery, the quiet prayer life, and the awakening of spring nature create a unique environment for reflection and inner peace. Day visitors are warmly welcome to participate in the festival's prayer services and enjoy the hospitality offered by the monastery.
Divine Services during Holy Week and Easter
The services of Holy Week guide the pilgrim step by step to the joy of Christ's Resurrection. Day visitors can attend Divine Services according to their own schedule.
The Main Church is open during Divine Services and
Thu 2.4. 12:00-18:00
Fri 3.4. 11:00-18:00
Sat 4.4. 12:00-18:00
Sun 5.4. 11:30-17:00
Mon 6.4. 11:30-17:00
Divine Services
Monday 30.3. Great Monday
06:00 Midnight and Morning Service. First, Third, and Sixth Hours of Fasting
18:00 Ninth Hour of Fasting. Hour Service. Great Vespers and Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.
Tuesday 31.3. Great Tuesday
06:00 Midnight and Morning Service. First, Third, and Sixth Hours of Fasting
18:00 Ninth Hour of Fasting. Hour Service. Great Vespers and Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.
Wednesday 1.4. Great Wednesday
06:00 Midnight and Morning Service. First, Third, and Sixth Hours of Fasting
18:00 Ninth Hour of Fasting. Hour Service. Great Vespers and Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.
Thursday 2.4. Great Thursday
09:00-approx. 12:00 Morning Service, First Hour, Great Vespers and Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great
18:00-approx. 20:30 Morning Service, twelve Gospel readings of Christ's Passion
Friday 3.4. Great Friday
09:00-approx. 11:00 Royal Hours, Hour Service
13:00-approx. 13:45 Great Vespers, Procession of the Epitaphios (Christ's burial shroud)
18:00-approx. 20:30 Morning Service, Christ's Burial Service
Saturday 4.4. Great Saturday
09:00-approx. 12:00 Great Vespers and Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great
20:00-approx. 23:00 Akathist to Our Sweetest Lord Jesus Christ, Reading of the Acts of the Apostles
23:30-approx. 00:00 Midnight Office
Sunday 5.4. Easter of the Lord
00:00-approx. 02:30 Easter Procession around the church and Morning Service, Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, concluding with the blessing of Easter foods
11:00-approx. 11:30 Easter Moleben, procession of the Artos
18:00-approx. 18:30 Easter Hour and Vespers
Monday 6.4. Second Day of Easter, Bright Monday
09:00-approx. 11:30 Easter Hour, Morning Service, Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, procession around the church
18:00-approx. 18:45 Easter Hour and Vespers
Tuesday 7.4. - Friday 12.4. Bright Week
06:00 Easter Hour and Morning Service. Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom. Procession around the church.
18:00 Easter Hour and Vespers.
Participation in Divine Services does not require registration, and you are welcome to come for even a short moment of quiet reflection.
Dining Options
Day visitors can dine at the monastery's Restaurant Trapesa, which operates on a special schedule according to the events of Holy Week and Easter.
Monday - Wednesday 30.3.-1.4.
Restaurant open from 7:30 to 15:00. Buffet lunch from 11:00 to 14:00. Price €16
Thursday 2.4 Monastery Dinner from 16:00 to 19:00, price €20
Tomato-onion salad, Flame-smoked salmon, Onion herring, Clear potato salad, Sauerkraut
Green salad
Bread and potato rolls
Creamy vegetable soup, Lemon flounder, Vegetable and bean stew
Cranberry kissel
Friday 3.4 Monastery Lunch from 11:00 to 15:00, price €23
Green salad, Sauerkraut, Carrot slaw, Cold-smoked salmon, Shrimp salad, Pepper mackerel
Bread and potato rolls
Vegetable borscht, Fish patties, Forest mushroom rolls, Roasted potatoes
Berry kissel
Friday 3.4 Monastery Dinner 16:00 to 19:00, price €23
Green salad, Sauerkraut, Pickled cucumbers, Marinated vegetables, Cold-smoked salmon tartare, Smoked rainbow trout
Bread and potato rolls
Chanterelle and vegetable soup, Fried vendace, Noodle and vegetable wok, Mashed potatoes
Buckwheat porridge and berry soup
Saturday 4.4 Monastery Lunch from 11:00 to 15:00, price €23
Green salad, Sauerkraut, Cabbage slaw, Cold-smoked salmon tartare, Smoked roach, Shrimp salad, Tomato herring, Potato salad
Bread and potato rolls
Minestrone soup, Mushroom and potato gratin, Baked pollock
Currant porridge
Saturday 4.4 Valamo Soup Dinner from 16:00 to 17:30, price €20
Green salad, Sauerkraut, Carrot slaw, Shrimp salad, Smoked rainbow trout, Mustard herring
Bread and potato rolls
Mushroom rassolnik
Fruit salad
Restaurant Trapesa's night cafe in the Brotherhood's Refectory is open from 4.4.-5.4. from 19:00 to 02:00
Sunday 5.4. Easter Night Festive Breakfast after the blessing of food from 02:30 to 04:00, price €30/person
NOTE! Registration for the festive breakfast by 2.4. at 14:00, salesservice@valamo.fi or tel. +358 17 570 1810
Mediterranean salad, Capital salad, Marinated lamb meatballs, Dyed eggs, Pastries
Smoked fish and vegetable soup
Paskha, Kulich, coffee and tea
Sunday 5.4 Valamo Easter Table from 11:00 to 16:00, price €32
Green salad, Cheese salad, Mushroom salad, Sauerkraut, Mustard herring, Cured salmon, Capital salad, Roast pork
Bread and Karelian pies
Baked rainbow trout, Roast lamb and red wine sauce, Garlic potatoes, Vegetable gratin
Mämmi and paskha
Monday 6.4 lunch from 11:00 to 17:00, price €20
Fish and salad buffet
Chicken in curry sauce, Roast lamb, Baked salmon, Beetroot stew
Fruit quark
Exhibitions and Monastery Museum
The Cultural Center and its exhibitions and library are also open to day visitors during the Holy Week and Easter festivities.
A new exhibition opens on 28.3. in the exhibition space: Rudolf Koivu - A Fairytale Illustrator.
Additionally, in the library during opening hours: Rudolf Koivu - Illustrations and Cover Art.
Opening Hours
Mon 30.3.-Wed 1.4.
Exhibition and Monastery Museum from 10:00-15:00
Library from 12:00-14:00
Thu-Sun 2.-5.4.
Exhibition and Monastery Museum from 12:00-17:00
Library from 12:00-17:00
Mon 6.4.
Exhibition and Monastery Museum from 12:00-15:00
Library from 12:00-15:00
Tue-Sat 7.-11.4.
Exhibition and Monastery Museum from 10:00-15:00
Library from 12:00-14:00
Sun 12.4.
Exhibition and Monastery Museum from 10:00-15:00
Library closed
Combined ticket to the exhibition and Monastery Museum €12/person, free for those under 18 years old.
Guided Tour, Valamo Folk High School Open House, and Concert
If you wish to deepen your knowledge of Valamo's history and spiritual tradition, you can participate in a guided tour on Saturday.
The tour will be held on Sat 4.4. from 15:00-16:15. Price €10/adults, €5/children. Tickets can be purchased at the reception, and the tour departs from in front of the reception.
At Valamo Folk High School, open house on Sun 5.4. from 12:00-13:30. In the school's icon class, you can learn about icon painting. Icon painter and teacher of Valamo Folk High School's icon courses, Sofia Williams, will hold an icon painting demonstration in the class.
On Easter Day, Sunday 5.4. at 16:00, there will be an Easter concert "Christ, Light of Light" in the Cultural Center Hall: Sari Saarinen violin, vocals; Antti Saarinen double bass, guitar
Tickets €10 at the door
WELCOME!
Welcome to a Time of Celebration and Peace
Valamo Monastery offers an environment suitable for the solemnity of Holy Week and the joy of Easter, where day visitors can find quiet reflection, participate in prayer, enjoy culture, dine on the monastery's culinary offerings, and spend the day in a beautiful monastery setting
We warmly welcome you to experience the Easter season in Valamo – amidst holy silence, brightness, and joy.
