The sound of moulds breaking
May 25th 2006
From The Economist print edition
What this year's Eurovision winners tell us about modern religion

WHO said religion was dying in Europe? On paper at least, the Finns show a devotion to their national church that resembles new-world fervour more than the old continent's jaded scepticism. More than 4.4m people, or 85% of the population, are registered with the Lutheran church. Another 60,000 adhere to the Finnish Orthodox church, whose cathedral is a Helsinki landmark. By some indicators, the Finns are pious in fact as well as in theory: as many as 43% say they pray several times a week. the rest