On September 16, 2024, the Synod of the Estonian Orthodox Church in unity with the Moscow Patriarchate held a meeting where the letter from the Chancellor of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Estonia, Tarmo Miilits, to the Episcopate of the EOC regarding the speech of Patriarch Kirill, delivered on August 28, 2024, was discussed.
The Synod confirmed its position that the Estonian Church does not participate in political processes, and its opinion regarding the statements of the Patriarch had already been expressed in the statement of the Synod of the EOC of April 2, 2024.
In addition, the decision of the Synod states: “The EOC preaches the evangelical teaching about the salvation of the world through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We consider the highest meaning and purpose of human life to be overcoming the sinful nature of man for the purpose of knowing God and connecting with Him, which is the key to a blessed eternal life. According to the Charter of our Church, we freely and independently build our relations with the Estonian state.”
Conclusions of our editors. The meeting of the Synod of the Estonian Orthodox Church (EOC) in unity with the Moscow Patriarchate took place against the background of rising tensions due to the political statements by Patriarch Kirill, in which the ideas of “Holy Russia” are promoted. The Estonian Church emphasized its independence of political processes and reaffirmed the statement made back in April 2024, but Patriarch Kirill’s speech once again questions the apolitical nature of the EOC.
For its part, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) continues to actively promote neo-imperial ideology, using religious structures as a propaganda tool. Patriarch Kirill’s speech, in which he thanked the clergy in the former Soviet republics for “preserving unity”, is another evidence that the Russian Orthodox Church seeks to maintain its influence outside of Russia, particularly in Ukraine and Estonia.
The position of the Estonian Orthodox Church, which officially declares non-interference in politics, but remains in unity with the Moscow Patriarchate, looks contradictory against the background of Kirill’s increasingly aggressive statements. This raises questions about the real independence of the Church from the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church and the extent to which the EOC is able to resist political instrumentalization by Moscow.
The situation also sends important signal for the international community, which should pay attention to the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in spreading imperial ideas and influencing social and political processes in post-Soviet countries.
In May, the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate hired lawyers to legally defend its right to communicate with the Russian Orthodox Church.
