On a quiet summer night in July 1985, an extraordinary incident occurred near Lake Kajarvi in central Finland that would later become known as the Suryavi Glowing Hands Incident. Olavi Schroederus was visiting his friend Irky Neiman's cottage when a routine task of moving his car led to an unexplainable encounter with a mysterious luminescent phenomenon. What began as a normal evening of relaxation quickly transformed into something much stranger when Olavi noticed an unusual reddish sparkling light on the roadside.

The peculiar light appeared to descend from above in tape-like sections, drawing Olavi's curiosity. When he cautiously placed his hands into the light stream, the luminescence clung to his skin, creating the alarming appearance that his hands were on fire - despite feeling no heat, weight, or pain. After showing his bewildered friend this inexplicable phenomenon, the glow gradually faded from his hands, and when they returned to investigate the site the following day, no trace of the strange light remained. This encounter stands as one of Finland's more obscure yet fascinating cases of unexplained luminous phenomena.

Key Takeaways

A strange reddish luminescence encountered on a Finnish roadside transferred to Olavi's hands without causing any pain or physical sensation.
The mysterious light appeared to flow downward in sections from about three meters in height and disappeared without trace after the encounter.
Despite thorough investigation of the site the following day, no physical evidence of the unusual phenomenon could be found.

The Suryavi Glowing Hands Incident Overview

On July 29, 1985, Olavi Schroederus experienced an unusual phenomenon while visiting his friend Irky Neiman's cottage in Sauriavi, Finland. Around midnight, Olavi went to move his car and noticed a strange reddish sparkling luminescence on the side of the road, approximately 16 meters away.

The luminous area was about 20 inches in diameter and appeared to flow downward in tape-like sections from a height of about three meters. Despite careful observation, Olavi could not determine the source of the light. There was no sound, heat, or smell associated with the phenomenon.

Curiosity led Olavi to place his hands into the light stream. To his astonishment, the sparkling light clung to his hands, making them appear to be engulfed in flames. Despite the alarming visual effect, he felt no pain, heat, or any physical sensation from the light.

Key observations about the light on Olavi's hands:

Created a flame-like appearance
Produced no heat or pain
Spread when he rubbed his hands together
Had no discernible weight
Did not react to air movement while running
Sparkled between fingers and fingertips
Did not illuminate surrounding areas
Disappeared from his hands after approximately 30 seconds

When Olavi rushed back to show Irky, his friend was understandably perplexed by the sight. After the light faded from his hands, Olavi returned to the spot where he had encountered the strange phenomenon, but it had completely vanished.

The following morning, both men investigated the area in light rain but found no traces of the incident. That evening, July 30th, they packed their belongings and left the cottage. The event left Olavi deeply unsettled and searching for answers about what he had experienced.

This incident represents an intriguing case that potentially links UFO phenomena with the rare "glowing hands" occurrences documented in various fortean literature. Such cases sometimes describe angelic visitations or miracles, though the Suryavi incident stands apart with its seemingly extraterrestrial characteristics.

Olavi's Summer Adventures

Trip to a Friend's Lakeside Retreat

In July 1985, Olavi Schroederus eagerly traveled to his friend Irky Neiman's cottage near Lake Kajarvi in central Finland. The small cottage, situated in Sauriavi close to the town of Malu, offered tranquility and beautiful natural surroundings. Despite the peaceful setting, the cottage had one inconvenient feature - the road to the beach and neighboring properties ran directly through Irky's yard. This meant Olavi needed to park his car on the main road during the day and move it during evenings when traffic increased.

Midnight Encounter with Strange Illumination

On Monday, July 29, around midnight, Olavi's routine evening took an extraordinary turn. After moving his car to a spot about 40 meters from the cottage, he noticed something unusual - a reddish, sparkling luminescence about 16 meters from the road. The mysterious light measured approximately 20 inches in diameter.

Intrigued, Olavi carefully approached the phenomenon. As he got within two meters, he observed that the light appeared to be streaming down in tape-like sections from about three meters above the ground. He felt no heat emanating from the light, and the area was eerily silent.

When Olavi cautiously placed his hands into the light stream, something remarkable happened - the light clung to his hands. Despite appearing as though his hands were engulfed in flames, he felt:

No heat or burning sensation
No added weight
No discernible smell

The light spread across his hands when he rubbed them together. Curious rather than frightened initially, Olavi ran back to show his friend this bizarre occurrence. As he ran with palms upward, the light remained unaffected by the air movement.

Inside the cottage, Irky appeared stunned by the sight of Olavi's glowing hands. The luminescence sparkled between Olavi's fingers and at the fingertips, with bright areas pointing outward rather than upward like normal flames. After approximately 30 seconds, the glow completely vanished from his hands.

When Olavi returned outside to investigate further, the mysterious light beam had disappeared without a trace. Despite searching the area extensively the next morning, neither man found any evidence of the strange phenomenon that had briefly transformed Olavi's hands into glowing instruments of light.

A Mysterious Luminescence Discovered

On the evening of July 29, 1985, Olavi Schroederus experienced an extraordinary phenomenon while visiting his friend Irky Neiman's cottage in Sauriavi, Finland. Around midnight, after stepping out to move his car, Olavi noticed a strange reddish sparkling luminescence on the side of the road approximately 16 meters away.

The light appeared as a circular glow about 20 inches in diameter. Despite careful observation, Olavi couldn't determine its source. After a brief hesitation, he approached the mysterious light, which seemed to flow down from above in tape-like sections from about three meters in height.

When Olavi placed his hands into the stream of light, something remarkable happened:

The luminescence clung to his hands
It spread as he rubbed his hands together
It created the appearance of flames without heat
No smell or weight was detectable
The light didn't react to air movement when he ran

Olavi rushed back to show his friend the phenomenon. Irky was understandably perplexed by the sight of Olavi's glowing hands. The luminescence was particularly bright between Olavi's fingers and at the fingertips, with the bright areas pointing outward from his body rather than upward like normal flames.

After approximately 30 seconds, the glow gradually faded from Olavi's hands. When he returned to investigate the original light source, it had completely vanished. Despite an extensive search the following rainy morning, no traces of the phenomenon could be found.

The experience left Olavi deeply unsettled. Though he shared the story with friends who wanted to see the location, the mysterious light never reappeared. This incident represents an unusual case that suggests possible connections between unexplained luminous phenomena and direct physical effects on witnesses.

A Detailed Report of the Mysterious Illumination

First Sighting

On July 29, 1985, around 10:30 PM, Olavi Schroederus was staying at his friend Irky Neiman's cottage in Sauriavi, Finland. After watching television and enjoying sausages with his friend, Olavi went outside to move his car to avoid blocking the road that ran through Irky's yard. He parked about 40 meters away in a wooded area and returned to the cottage without noticing anything unusual. Later that night, the cottage experienced electrical issues, with the television malfunctioning and lights flickering, prompting Irky to use his car battery for power.

Around midnight, Olavi decided to retrieve his car as Irky had agreed to let him park on the grass. The weather was calm but very cloudy and dark. As he walked down the road toward his vehicle, he noticed something peculiar about 16 meters away on the left side of the road.

Moving Toward the Strange Manifestation

Olavi observed a reddish sparkling luminescence on the ground, approximately 20 inches in diameter. He stopped immediately and searched for the source, looking in all directions but unable to determine its origin. The phenomenon was completely silent, adding to its mystery. After about 15 seconds of observation, Olavi cautiously decided to approach the sparkling light.

When he got within two meters, he noticed the light appeared to be coming down from above in tape-like sections from about three meters in altitude. He confirmed it wasn't originating from nearby Lake Kajarvi. Standing still, he listened again but heard absolutely nothing. As he moved closer, Olavi extended his hands to check for warmth, but felt no temperature change whatsoever. The light emitted no detectable heat, rays, or other physical sensations.

The Interaction with the Luminous Phenomenon

After confirming he wouldn't get burned, Olavi placed both hands into the band-like stream flowing from above. To his astonishment, the light clung to his hands. He pulled away instantly, but the sparkling light had already engulfed his hands. Despite appearing as though his hands were on fire, he felt nothing unusual - no heat, no weight, and detected no smell.

Believing the phenomenon might be harmless despite its strangeness, Olavi placed his hands about 20 centimeters off the ground where the light was more dense. He then ran back to show Irky, holding his palms upright. Notably, the luminescence didn't react to the air movement caused by his running. Key observations about the light on his hands included:

It sparkled from fingertip to fingertip, spanning about five millimeters
The bright areas weren't pointing upward like normal flames
Light blazed between his fingers and on the fingertips
Bright areas pointed outward from his body
The luminescence didn't illuminate the cottage
The phenomenon disappeared from his hands after approximately 30 seconds

When Olavi returned to the site moments later, the light had completely vanished. Despite searching the area extensively the next morning in light rain, no traces of the phenomenon were found.

What Happened After the Strange Light

Response to the Glowing Phenomenon

After placing his hands into the strange, sparkling light, Olavi noticed something extraordinary—the light clung to his hands, creating the illusion they were engulfed in flames. Despite the alarming appearance, he felt no heat, weight, or any physical sensation whatsoever. The luminescence spread further when he attempted to rub his hands together. Curiosity overtaking fear, he deliberately placed his hands in a denser area of the light about 20 centimeters from the ground. His hands now glowing dramatically, Olavi ran back toward the cottage, observing that the movement through air had no effect on the mysterious illumination.

Return to the Cottage

Olavi burst into the cottage, calling for Irky to witness the bizarre phenomenon. His friend stood speechless at the sight of Olavi's glowing hands. When asked if he felt any pain, Olavi confirmed he felt nothing unusual. The light behaved unlike natural flames—rather than pointing upward, it blazed between his fingers and outward from his body. Interestingly, the brightness didn't illuminate the surrounding cottage at all. After approximately 30 seconds, the glow gradually faded from Olavi's hands until it disappeared completely.

Night of Uncertainty and Explanation Attempts

Determined to investigate further, Olavi immediately went back outside to check if the original light beam remained. Irky chose to stay inside, watching nervously from the window. Finding no trace of the mysterious light, Olavi waited in the yard for five minutes hoping for the phenomenon to return. A sudden inexplicable fear overtook him when he considered retrieving his car—a fear absent during his initial encounter. Eventually, he gathered his courage, ran to get his vehicle, and parked it in the cottage yard.

Both men stayed awake late into the night discussing possible explanations for the strange encounter. Olavi found sleep difficult, deeply unsettled by the experience. The next morning, despite the light rain, they searched the area extensively but found no evidence of the previous night's phenomenon. By Tuesday evening, July 30th, 1985, they packed their belongings and departed from the cottage. Later, intrigued friends convinced Olavi to return to the site, hoping to learn more about the mysterious glowing hands incident.

Examining the Anomaly

Dawn Review

The rain greeted them the following morning, a light drizzle that didn't deter their curiosity. Olavi and Irky ventured to the exact location where the strange luminescent phenomenon had occurred the previous night. They methodically examined the area, searching for any physical evidence that might explain the mysterious light. Despite their thorough investigation, they found no traces—no burn marks, no unusual residue, and no signs that anything extraordinary had happened there at all. The ground appeared completely normal, with no indications of the tape-like sections of light that had descended from above.

The rainfall, though minimal, made their search more challenging but also more interesting, as they wondered if water might reveal some chemical reaction on the ground. It didn't. The two men spent considerable time examining the spot from different angles, hoping to find something that might explain what Olavi had experienced.

Return Journey and Subsequent Conversations

Later that evening, Tuesday, July 30th, Olavi and Irky packed their belongings and departed from the cottage. The strange incident had significantly altered their relaxing weekend retreat, leaving them with more questions than answers. Upon returning home, Olavi shared his bizarre experience with several friends, describing how the sparkling light had clung to his hands like flames without heat.

His friends were understandably fascinated by the account. Their intense curiosity prompted them to request that Olavi return to the location with them to see the spot for themselves. Despite his lingering uneasiness about the area, Olavi agreed to guide them back to the roadside where he had encountered the mysterious phenomenon. The experience had left a profound impression on him, transforming what had begun as a simple weekend getaway into an encounter with something beyond conventional explanation.

The Saarijärvi Glowing Hands Incident: Finland's Mysterious Luminous Phenomenon (1985)