He translated the New Testament into Finnish and also produced the prayer book and hymns used in Finland's new Lutheran Church.

He died of sudden illness while returning from a trip during which he assisted in negotiating the Treaty of Novgorod with the Tsardom of Russia.

"agriculture"); surnames based on one's father's status and occupation were common for first-generation scholars at the time.

The Viipuri castle was ruled by a German count, Johann, who had served the king of Sweden, Gustav Vasa.

[2] In 1528 Agricola followed his teacher to Turku (Åbo), then the center of the Finnish side of the Swedish realm and the capital of the bishopric.

[2] While in Turku Agricola met Martin Luther's first Finnish student Petrus Särkilahti, who eagerly spread the idea of the Reformation.

At the time Gustav Vasa had confiscated the property of the church when he was consolidating his power but he also drove the Reformation.

In 1544 Agricola received an order from the crown to send several talented young men to Stockholm's taxing offices.

At this time Agricola was already married, but history knows his wife only by her name: Pirjo Olavintytär (Bridget, "daughter of Olavi"; Birgitta Olafsdotter, Brigida Olaui).

On 9 April he fell ill and died on Kyrönniemi peninsula near the Uusikirkko (now Polyane) village on the Karelian Isthmus.

In 1966 Åke Åbergin, a librarian, discovered parts, while repairing book bindings, from an as yet unknown (likely the third) edition of the "ABC-kirja" that included the name of the printer, Amund Lauritsanpoika, and fortuitously the publishing date of 1559 (two years after the author's death) of the final as yet undiscovered 8 pages.

[8] Agricola's Rucouskiria Bibliasta (contemporary Finnish spelling: Rukouskirja; literally, "Prayer Book from the Bible") was printed in March 1544.

At the beginning of the book, Agricola wrote about many topics concerning all-round education and the Reformation's effects in Finland.

[7] Käsikirja Castesta ia muista Christikunnan Menoista includes forms for christening, marriage and burial, as well as speeches for the sick, mourning and dying.

[3] Se meiden Herran Jesusen Christusen Pina, ylesnousemus ia tauiaisen Astumus, niste Neliest Euangelisterist coghottuon tells about Jesus Christ's suffering.

[citation needed] The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America remembers Bishop Agricola annually on 10 April.

This collector coin was issued to honor Agricola's life work as a contributor to the Protestant reformation in Finland and as the father of the Finnish written language.