K. J. G. Sirelius

Klemens Johan Gabriel Sirelius (June 27, 1818 in Kaavi, Finland – July 23, 1888 in Mikkeli, Finland) was the first director of the Finnish Missionary Society. He served in this position from 1872 to 1876. During his tenure the mission society was organised and the first missionaries were sent to Ovamboland in South West Africa. The last years of his life he served as the vicar of Mikkeli.

Family background The father of Sirelius was Arvid Johan Sirelius (1782–1838), who served as the chaplain of Nilsiä.

Sirelius went to school in Kuopio and Porvoo, and he graduated and entered the university in Helsinki in 1838.

Sirelius was ordained a minister in the Diocese of Borgå on June 19, 1847, and soon after this he completed the degree of Master of Arts. He then worked as a minister in Sortavala, Kronstadt and Saint Petersburg. Later he worked as the preacher of the Estonian and Latvian garrison parish in Helsinki during 1856–1865, and again from 1871 on.

In the mid-1870s the mission society was already on a safe footing. However, Sirelius was no longer as energetic as he had earlier been, and his growing family needed a better income than what was possible in the mission society. Thus Sirelius decided to step down as the director. He was followed in this position by tuli C. G. Tötterman, who acted as the director during 1877–1895.

After the mission society Sirelius was appointed vicar of Mikkeli on August 20, 1875, but he only assumed this position on May 1, 1877. He was given the title of field provost in 1865, and the title of rural dean from 1879 on. He died in Mikkeli in July 1888.