History of the Enontekiö church After tradition the first church of Enontekiö (5x7 m) was built by three devout Lapp brothers at their own expense in the late 16 th century at Rounala, 7 km west of the Kilpisjärvi road near Saarikoski, on the Swedish side of the river.
After tradition the first church of Enontekiö (5x7 m) was built by three devout Lapp brothers at their own expense in the late 16 th century at Rounala, 7 km west of the Kilpisjärvi road near Saarikoski, on the Swedish side of the river.
The next church was built in 1662 in Markkina, which was an important market place for the Lapps. Near the church there also was a graveyard and a vicarage. When the first Markkina church got damaged, a new one was built in the same place in 1778. There is a small wooden angel face above the vestry door of the present church in Hetta. This little sclupture was carved by Erik J. Grape, the priest of Markkina, in 1797 memory of his 9 year old daughter who got drowned in the river by Markkinasuvanto. In 1826 the Markkina church was pulled down and the logs were floated down the river Muoniojoki. It had been decided that a new church woul be built where the floating logs would land. It happened in Palojoensuu. But the new church did not stay there very long. Its wooden parts were sold at an auction a few decades later. A new church was now built in Hetta, but it was burnt down during the Lapland war in 1944.
Architect Veikko Larkas designed the present church which is one of the most beautiful modern churches in Finland. It is the sixth church of Enontekiö and was built with help of American Lutherans and was consecrated in 1952. The organ is a present from West Germany and dedicated by the Army Bishop of Germany in 1958. Uuno Eskola (d. 1958) made the magnificant altar wall. The mosaic work manifests the resurrected Christ blessing the people of Lapland and their daily life.
The wooden sculptures of the pulpit were made by Mikko Hovi and the chandeliers designed by artist Tynell. The baptismal font table (500 years old finnish red wood, pine wood) was a gift from the 3 rd company of the Laplan Frontier Guard. The copy of Martin Luther’s death mask is one of the three copies in Finland. It hangs on the wall in the vestry.The bells in the 30 m high bell tower toll these two sentences from the Bible: "Come, bow your heads and kneel down in front of Lord, our Creator" and: "Glory to God in heaven and peace in the world among the people towards whom He has good will."