Estonian bishop: Today, any affiliation with the ROC is viewed as a threat

Bishop Daniel of Tartu. Photo: Estonian Church website

March 12, 2025 – Bishop Daniel of Tartu, a vicar of the Tallinn Diocese of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (EOC-MP), has published a statement on the Estonian Church's website describing the challenges faced by his Church due to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

According to him, the EOC has encountered serious trials.

“We have repeatedly expressed our anti-war stance and actively helped refugees from Ukraine, but unfortunately, the abbreviation ‘MP’ (Moscow Patriarchate) in our name has become a marker that brings increasing pressure upon us. In the current political context, a simplified black-and-white approach prevails, where any affiliation with Moscow – including the canonical connection with the Moscow Patriarchate – is automatically perceived as a threat, without any attempt to understand the essence of the matter,” Bishop Daniel emphasized.

He explained that EOC communities increasingly face discrimination from the authorities:

“Our lease agreement for the church chancery premises was terminated, insurance companies refuse to work with us or drastically increase prices, and we have been deprived of opportunities to receive financial assistance from the state.”

The bishop also highlighted that in May 2024, the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament) issued a statement declaring the EOC and the Pühtitsa Convent – both under the Moscow Patriarchate – as collective accomplices of aggression.

He noted that Estonian media covers the activities of the EOC exclusively in a negative light. “Many of our supporters and those who understand us do not dare to express their position publicly, fearing consequences for their well-being and careers in Estonia,” he added.

At the same time, Bishop Daniel stated that despite all these challenges, not a single EOC community has expressed a desire to change its jurisdiction.

“When we surveyed the parishes last year about whether they wished to change jurisdictions, we received the response that all parishes wanted to remain in their current Church. In a democratic state, every person should have the right to follow their conscience and faith without state interference in this fundamental right,” he emphasized.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to a statement from the Estonian Ministry of the Interior, the Pühtitsa Convent must choose between the Russian Orthodox Church and Estonian society.

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