Kuremäe, Estonia, April 9, 2025
Photo: monasterium.ru
A number of famous monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church have addressed letters of support for the Holy Dormition-Pükhtitsa Monastery, which is facing persecution by Estonian authorities.
The monastery is not formally part of the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church, which is an autonomous body within the Moscow Patriarchate, but is directly under the omophorion of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. In any case, the Estonian Parliament has branded both the Church and monastery as supporters of military aggression without evidence, using this accusation as a pretext to ban them. The relevant bill passed its second reading last month, and is expected to pass its third reading today, after which it will be transferred to the President for promulgation.
Abbess Philareta and the Pükhtitsa sisterhood have repeatedly demonstrated that they exist outside of politics and that they have no authority to simply change jurisdictions on their own (they could avoid banning by joining the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Estonian jurisdiction, which would put them in communion with the Ukrainian schismatics).
It’s noteworthy that even under godless Soviet rule, Pükhtitsa Monastery, which was founded with support by St. John of Kronstadt, managed to avoid closure.
Over the past few days, several monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church have written Mother Philareta and the sisters of Pükhtitsa, expressing their support. These include Valaam, Optina, Solovki, Diveyevo, Novodevichy in Moscow, Holy Protection Monastery in Moscow, and St. John of Rila Monastery in St. Petersburg, reports the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism.
The letter of Abbot Bishop Pankraty and the leadership of Valaam emphasizes the deep spiritual connection that exists between their monasteries and assures the Pükhtitsa sisterhood of their prayers.
“Your steadfastness in confessing Christ’s Church in the face of injustice is a living testimony to the Apostle’s words: All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12),” writes Abbot Bishop Joseph of Optina, with wishes for the sisters to overcome the devil’s machinations.
Likewise, Abbess Theophania of Moscow’s Holy Protection Convent ensures Pükhtitsa of her sisterhood’s prayers at the relics of St. Matrona, which are treasured at the Moscow monastery.
And in their letter, Abbess Ludmila and the sisters of St. John of Rila Convent in St. Petersburg note that their monastery actually began as a dependency of Pükhtitsa Monastery. It is also home to the relics of St. John of Kronstadt, who spiritually nurtured the Estonian monastery.
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