Pyhätunturi, Pelkosenniemi, Finland

Pyhäkaste Waterfall and Lake

Pyhäkaste Waterfall ("Holy baptism Waterfall") and the adjacent Pyhäkasteenlampi Lake ("Holy baptism Lake") in the Pyhä-Luosto National Park, Finland, in the border region of Pelkosenniemi and Kemijärvi municipalites. The waterfall flows at the north end of the Isokuru Ravine, located in Pyhätunturi-mountain in Lapland. The history books tell the waterfall,lake and the adjacent Uhriharju Ridge ("Sacrifice ridge") have been sacred places for the local Sámi people for hundreds of years. Until the mid-1600s the Forest Sámi people brought deer and their antlers to Uhriharju Ridge to be sacrified in hope of a succesful hunt. The present names of the Waterfall and Lake,however, originated in the 1600s when (Lutheran) minister Esaias Mansveti Fellman was traveling in the area proselytizing Christianity to the Forest Sámi people. According to tradition, Fellman performed a group christening for the local Sámi people at the waterfall in mid-June 1648. I took this photo 370 years after this happened in June in 2018 when me and my family were hiking in this area. There are plenty of hiking trails where you can walk and look beautiful sights. The day was also beautiful, sun was shining and it was +28 hot day.

June 2018

Suvi Juntunen

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