News of Estonian agreement on separating from Moscow Patriarchate removed from Church site

Tallinn, August 7, 2024

    

News of an agreement between the Estonian Orthodox Church and state authorities on steps towards separating from the Moscow Patriarchate has been removed from the site of the Estonian Orthodox Church.

On July 31, the Estonian Ministry of Internal Affairs published news on the Estonian Church agreeing to amend its statutes to remove any reference to the statutes of the Russian Orthodox Church. More surprisingly, the news stated that the hierarchs of the Estonian Church were ready to begin discussions on uniting with the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which was established in 1996 as a parallel jurisdiction to the existing Church.

The same day, the Ministry’s article was reposted by the Estonian Orthodox Church in Estonian, and the next day in Russian translation .

However, His Grace Bishop Daniil of Tartu, vicar of the Tallinn Diocese, then gave an interview to the Estonian outlet err.ee, asserting that neither the hierarchs nor the people of the Estonian Orthodox Church would agree to joining Constantinople’s jurisdiction. At the same time, he confirmed the possibility of amending Church statutes.

As of today, August 7, the news of the Church-state agreement has been removed from the Estonian Church site.

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8/7/2024

See also
Estonia: Church agrees with state on steps to separate from Moscow Patriarchate Estonia: Church agrees with state on steps to separate from Moscow Patriarchate Estonia: Church agrees with state on steps to separate from Moscow Patriarchate Estonia: Church agrees with state on steps to separate from Moscow Patriarchate
On July 30, representatives of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, including the Church’s lawyer, the Holy Dormition-Pukhtitsa Convent, and the Ministry of the Interior met to review current activities and discuss possible future scenarios. Estonian lawyers representing Orthodox Church: No laws have been broken Estonian lawyers representing Orthodox Church: No laws have been broken Estonian lawyers representing Orthodox Church: No laws have been broken Estonian lawyers representing Orthodox Church: No laws have been broken
The Estonian Orthodox Church has enlisted the help of a local law firm as the state calls upon the Church to sever its legal and canonical ties with the Moscow Patriarchate. Estonian gov’t sees no tangible threat from Estonian Church but pressuring its parishes to join Constantinople Estonian gov’t sees no tangible threat from Estonian Church but pressuring its parishes to join Constantinople Estonian gov’t sees no tangible threat from Estonian Church but pressuring its parishes to join Constantinople Estonian gov’t sees no tangible threat from Estonian Church but pressuring its parishes to join Constantinople
“We’ve already held the first [parish] meetings and plan to further expand this activity next week,” said Raivo Kuyt, Vice Chancellor for Population and Civil Society of the Ministry of the Interior.

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