HELSINKI — Thousands of candles illuminated the steps of Finland's Parliament in Helsinki on March 21 as pro-life advocates held a public vigil commemorating children lost to abortion.
Organized by the Finnish pro-life group Oikeus elämään ry, the "Muistamme" ("In remembrance") event featured 8,645 candles, one for each abortion performed in Finland in 2024.
Johannes Laitinen, one of the event's organizers, said approximately 100 preselected participants were invited to light the candles, chosen because of their personal connection to the loss of children through abortion. Members of the public were also given the opportunity to take part in the candle lighting during the vigil.
After the candles were lit, participants observed a minute of silence, while volunteers remained through the night as the display continued glowing in central Helsinki.
A public witness in the heart of Helsinki
Speaking to EWTN News, Kirsi Morgan-MacKay, chairman of Finland's Right to Life Association, said the vigil sought both to honor the unborn and to confront the public with the scale of abortion in the country.
"The event created a visual that touched people's hearts and perhaps made them stop and think about how many children are actually lost every year through abortion," she said.
Morgan-MacKay added that the vigil also aimed to acknowledge the often-unspoken grief experienced by women and families affected by abortion.
She noted that leaders from multiple Christian denominations attended the event, which organizers viewed as an encouraging sign of broader ecclesial engagement.
"We have always hoped that churches would come together to defend the lives of unborn children," she said, explaining that abortion is not merely political but "a spiritual, ethical, and moral issue."
A prayer gathering was also held in connection with the vigil at Luther Church in Helsinki, where clergy from Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Catholic communities offered prayers. Representing the Catholic Church, Jean Claude Kabeza, vicar general of the Diocese of Helsinki, conveyed greetings from Bishop Raimo Goyarrola.
Finland's welfare state and the limits of social support
While happy about Finland's reputation for its strong social welfare system, Morgan-MacKay noted that many women facing crisis pregnancies still experience profound isolation. "Many women and families are still left alone in the midst of a crisis," she said, adding that loneliness and lack of support often persist even within families.
She also observed that in Finland, the lives of unborn children often go unvalued when a pregnancy is unwanted. She pointed out that women confronted with an unplanned pregnancy, sometimes in shock, may see abortion as an "easy" way out, particularly since medical abortion is frequently presented as a simple "procedure."
Morgan-MacKay also drew attention to Finland's liberalized abortion framework, particularly the increased accessibility of medical abortion, arguing that women may be pressured into rushed decisions without adequate counseling.
"Sometimes the health care system offers abortion as the only option," she said. "Many times, these women need space to pause, think everything through, and receive real support."
She added that while Finland's pro-life movement remains relatively small, it is gradually growing, with increased awareness of abortion's broader social and personal consequences. She expressed particular encouragement at the involvement of younger supporters, especially young men, saying she believes "God is raising up a new generation of pro-lifers" as more Finns begin speaking openly about the issue.
A bishop's medical perspective on abortion
EWTN News also spoke with Goyarrola, who said he remains hopeful that Finland can become more receptive to pro-life values, despite abortion remaining a sensitive and often taboo topic in public life.
Goyarrola's comments carry added weight in Finland's abortion debates because of his medical background. Before entering the priesthood, he trained as a physician, graduating with a degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Navarra in Spain in 1992, and has pursued doctoral research in palliative care at the University of Eastern Finland since 2022.
Drawing on his medical knowledge, he has also written extensively on social issues for general audiences, authoring "Ihmiselämää äidin kohdussa" ("Human Life in the Womb"), on abortion, and "Arvokas kuolema" ("A Dignified Death"), on euthanasia. Both books were widely praised for making complex bioethical questions accessible to ordinary readers.
Reflecting on his experience, Goyarrola said that with regard to discussing abortion, conversations require clarity and compassion rather than confrontation.
"I believe that positive language is what truly reaches people and opens hearts to reflection," he said. "The Church speaks in defense of life by offering real solutions to real problems and proposing ways to prevent abortion."
"No one celebrates abortion as a joyful experience," he added.
Signs of change among younger Finns
Assessing the broader cultural climate, Goyarrola said abortion has historically remained difficult to discuss openly in Finnish society. "Abortion has long been a taboo subject in Finland, and to a large extent it still is," he said, noting that public discourse is often narrowly framed around "the woman's right to her own body."
Yet the bishop said younger generations appear increasingly willing to engage the issue more thoughtfully. "Among young people, the topic is beginning to be discussed more openly, and with many serious questions," he noted.
Goyarrola explained that because over 90% of abortions in Finland are carried out for social rather than medical reasons, the underlying causes must be addressed socially as well. He called for "better education, access to information, healthier lifestyles, and more personal responsibility and support for marriage and family life."
He added that the Church must continue promoting a concrete vision of family and human dignity, saying: "We aim to promote a culture that values life, family, and hope." He also noted that the Catholic Church in Finland tries to speak about the "need for more children in society," not for economic or labor-related reasons but rather for the future of Finnish society itself.
"I hope that we can speak about abortion and about life in the mother's womb without prejudice, in a rational and thoughtful way," Goyarrola added. "Only through open and respectful conversation can we better understand the complexity of the issue and seek humane and responsible solutions."
