Helgøy Church


Helgøy Church is a historic parish church of the Church of Norway in Karlsøy Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It is located on the small unpopulated island of Helgøya. It is a little-used annex church for the Karlsøy parish which is part of the Tromsø domprosti in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland. The 350-seat church is no longer in regular use since the island of Helgøya is no longer populated. The last confirmation class at the church was confirmed in 1966. The population of the island decreased steadily until it no longer had permanent residents. Today, the island is used for summer vacation homes and the church is now only used on occasion for special services, including one summer service each year.

History

The first church at Helgøya was likely built in the late 1400s and was subject to the priest in Tromsø. The church was later replaced with a church from another location. The building was originally constructed in 1741 in Hemnes in Helgeland. In 1872 it was taken down and moved to Hamn in Berg municipality on Senja island. It was rebuilt there as a church by the nickel plant. When the plant closed in 1888, the church was once again dismantled and moved to Helgøya to replace the earlier church building. This newly rebuilt church was consecrated on 7 March 1889 by the Bishop Johannes Skaar. The "new" white, wooden church was built in a long church style with a steeple. The church seats about 350 people.