Five prayer chapels on Lake Saimaa island sold due to maintenance burden

The Ecumenical Saimaan Skiitat association has sold five Orthodox prayer chapels, known as tsasounas, on Ilkonsaari island in Lake Saimaa to the South Karelia Recreation Area Foundation, the association’s chair Jarmo Ikävalko told Yle.

The chapels, built between 2016 and 2019, will remain open to the public. The association cited the growing maintenance burden and an expiring land lease as reasons for the sale.

Ilkonsaari, also called Skiittasaari, was consecrated as a unique skete island in Finland in 2009. The ecumenical association includes both Orthodox and Lutheran members, and the chapels were built in the spirit of shared Christian heritage.

The foundation acquired the chapels for a nominal fee and has no plans to build additional structures, focusing instead on maintaining the existing ones. The island also features grilling shelters, fire pits, and outhouses. A new boat dock was completed on the eastern shore earlier this summer to improve accessibility.

Two more tsasounas had received building permits, but the foundation does not intend to use them.