Ilmari Salomies

Biography Salomies was born on 17 July 1893 in Mikkeli, the son of Edvard Salonen and Hedvig Sofia Salonen.

From 1931 he taught church history at the University of Helsinki. In 1938 he became a full professor of ecclesiastical history. He was elected Bishop of Viipuri in February 1943 and consecrated on 13 June by Archbishop Erkki Kaila of Turku and Bishop Yrjö Wallinmaa of Oulu in Turku Cathedral. In 1945 the diocese's seat was transferred to Mikkeli and the name of the diocese was changed to the Diocese of Mikkeli, with Salomies as the first bishop with that title. In 1951 he was elected Archbishop of Turku where he remained till 1964. He died on 26 December 1973 in Helsinki and was buried in the Hietaniemi Cemetery in Helsinki.