Tallinn, May 20, 2024
St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn. Photo: Wikipedia
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.
Attorneys Steven-Hristo Evestus and Artur Knjazev of Sirel & Partners in Tallinn are representing both the Estonian Orthodox Church and Pukhtitsa Monastery, which is stavropegial—directly under the omophorion of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow.
The lawyers’ goal is “to find a solution in accordance with Estonian laws and Orthodox canons in a difficult situation with the state,” the law firm reports.
The report recalls that the Estonian Parliament declared the Moscow Patriarchate an institute supporting Russian military aggression on May 6, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs is calling on the Church and monastery to separate from the Patriarchate.
But freedom of religion must be respected, says Evustus:
Our primary task is to remind everyone that the representatives and members of the EOC-MP and the Pukhtitsa Convent have in no way expressed support for military actions or opposition to the constitutional order of the Republic of Estonia. For this reason, it’s particularly important that the freedom of religion and the rights, freedoms, and activities of parishioners and the members of the convent aren’t arbitrarily or inadvertently restricted or condemned. We’re open to finding solutions for a continued peaceful coexistence.
Moreover, the Church has proven itself to be perfectly law-abiding, says Knjazev:
Additionally, we must emphasize that neither the EOC-MP nor the Pukhtitsa Convent has broken any laws. They have always been against the war and have never endorsed the war-related statements of the Moscow Patriarch. Law-abiding behavior should be respected, and under no circumstances should it lead to punishment or actions of that nature by the state.
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