Finland’s largest Lutheran congregation selects ultra-runner Paulus Pikkarainen as new lead pastor

Finland’s largest Evangelical Lutheran congregation, Jyväskylä Parish, has chosen Paulus Pikkarainen as its new lead pastor, public broadcaster Yle reports. The parish council made the decision in a closed ballot on Wednesday evening, following a unanimous recommendation from the church board.

Pikkarainen, currently the senior pastor for Jyväskylä’s central district, was the preferred candidate of both the church board and the interview committee. He was selected from a pool of seven final applicants, including Jussi Ollila, the lead pastor of Kolari Parish. A total of ten candidates applied for the position.

Born in 1984, Pikkarainen has served in leadership roles within Jyväskylä Parish for over seven years. In a statement on the parish’s website, he highlighted strategic implementation—including staffing plans, property management, and forestry strategies—as key priorities for his tenure. He also noted that further parish boundary reviews may lie ahead.

An avid ultra-runner, Pikkarainen lives in Jyväskylä with his spouse and three children. He will assume the role on 1 September, succeeding Arto Viitala, who has led the parish since 2012 and will retire this autumn.