Helsinki, February 7, 2024
Photo: wp.com
The Bishops’ Council of the Finnish Orthodox Church takes no issue with people donating their bodies to science, provided the body is treated with respect.
The hierarchs of the Finnish Church, who met on January 31 under the chairmanship of Archbishop Leo of Helsinki, discussed various medical issues, including donating one’s body to science, organ donation, and cremation, reports the Finnish Church.
Background: A parishioner approached Metropolitan Arseny with a question on how the Church views the donation of the body for medical use after death. Metropolitan Arseny hopes for a principled discussion of the matter at the Bishops’ Council.
Resolution: The Bishops’ Council sees no obstacle to the donation of the body for medical educational use after death, as long as the body is respected during the procedures and they are aimed at medical expertise in preserving and improving human life. Likewise, the Bishops’ Council permits organ donation. Donation of the body for medical research generally requires separate consent. In this case, too, it is necessary to ensure in advance that the Church’s view of the human body is not compromised. After the procedures, the body should be blessed according to the Orthodox Church’s order and preferably buried in a coffin, as is customary in the Orthodox tradition. However, if cremation is chosen for some reason, the ashes should be buried in an urn and in a marked place.
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