Estonia loses access to St Petersburg church it invested €10 mln to restore

St. John’s Church in St. Petersburg, reopened in 2011 after restoration. Photo: Raigo Pajula

On October 29, 2025, Postimees reported that Estonia had lost access to the Lutheran Church of St. John in St. Petersburg, into whose restoration the Estonian state invested about €10 million.

The restoration of St. John’s Church was initiated by the Estonian side in the 2000s. Approximately €10 million were allocated for the reconstruction of the historic building. After the completion of the work, the church was reopened in 2011 and became a venue for cultural events, including concerts and exhibitions in the Estonian language.

The property was managed by the organization Eesti Kontsert, but due to sanctions and changes within the local parish, the Estonian side can no longer use the building.

The formal owner of the church is the local parish, which now includes almost no Estonian citizens. As a result, Eesti Kontsert has no ability to manage the property, hold events, or even enter the church premises.

After the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the organization sought to terminate the agreement, but the Estonian Ministry of Culture insisted on maintaining it. Later, it became clear that some utility providers were connected to sanctioned individuals, making further payments potentially subject to criminal liability, so these were halted.

As Postimees notes, Estonia still formally retains the right to use the church for 49 years, but in practice, it has lost access completely.

Earlier, the UOJ reported the words of Bishop Daniel of Tartu, who emphasized that the Estonian Orthodox Church remains faithful to its path and maintains unity with canonical Orthodoxy despite external pressure.

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