Finnish court to rule on ownership of medieval saint statues sold over 130 years ago

A district court in southwestern Finland will decide who owns 22 medieval saint statues originally from Lieto Church, following a legal dispute between the parish and the City of Turku’s museum, reports Yle.

The Parish of Lieto has filed a lawsuit demanding the Turku City Museum return the 13th- and 14th-century wooden statues, arguing their sale in 1895 was unlawful. The museum rejects the claim, insisting it holds legal ownership.

Among the contested works is a Madonna statue, currently on permanent display at Turku Castle. The parish initially requested four statues on loan but later escalated the dispute after the museum refused.

The case hinges on whether the 1895 transaction—where the statues were sold to a private collector before entering the museum’s collection—was legally valid. The parish argues the sale required approval from the church’s governing body, the consistory, but no record of such approval exists.

Lieto’s vicar, Risto Leppänen, said the parish only sought to borrow the statues at first but took legal action after discovering the ownership was unclear. “The museum has denied this ambiguity. It’s in everyone’s interest to resolve this now,” he told Yle, adding that cooperation on display and preservation could follow a ruling.

Museum director Ville-Matti Rautjoe stated the institution has “sufficient evidence” to prove its ownership and will contest the claim. Legal experts note the case could set a precedent for museum practices in Finland, where similar disputes over church artifacts have arisen in other Nordic countries.

The parish emphasizes the statues’ religious significance, arguing they belong in the newly renovated medieval church. “They serve a role in religious communication. The church has a deeper connection to these objects than a museum,” Leppänen said.

The Turku District Court will hear the case, with a decision expected in the coming months.