Yle organizes virtual All Saints’ Day event on Roblox platform in Finland

Yle, in collaboration with the Helsinki Parish Union, is organizing a virtual All Saints’ Day event on Saturday, November 2, on the Roblox gaming platform. Originating in the United States, Roblox is a metaverse platform where users can create their own content, design avatars, and explore worlds crafted by other users.

The event is inspired by the Korpirauha Camp Center located in Siuntio, known for its representative features. This virtual venue will include a church island with a performance stage and a parkour track. Users can light virtual candles in remembrance of the deceased and participate in prayer sessions held every half hour on the event stage. The sessions will be led by Kari Kanala, the vicar of the Paavalin Parish, along with TikTok priest Petja Kopperoinen and pastor Milla Korkalainen, who will join as their avatars.

Yle has previously hosted two virtual Independence Day celebrations and a graduation event on Roblox. Wesa Aapron, Yle’s Metaverse lead, shared that past experiences have been positive, citing an initial Independence Day event that unexpectedly attracted around 24,000 attendees, growing to about 100,000 last year.

The idea for the All Saints’ Day event arose from discussions on how Yle can better reach various audiences, particularly younger demographics where religious interest appears to be on the rise. According to online priest Markus Kartano, the congregations share a unified goal of engaging young audiences.

Participants can join the event on November 2, 2024, from 5 PM to 7 PM, using the Roblox app available for mobile devices, tablets, computers, or Xbox consoles. Access the event through the provided link.