Lutheran archbishop opposes demolition of Tallinn Orthodox cathedral

Lutheran Archbishop Urmas Viilma. Photo: Ken Mürk/ERR

On August 12, 2026, Archbishop Urmas Viilma of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church spoke out against the demolition of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn, ERR reports.

The debate over the cathedral’s future began after Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro raised the issue of terminating its lease agreement. Proposals then emerged to sell the cathedral, relocate it, turn it into a museum, or demolish it. The initiatives have been justified by the cathedral’s ties to the Moscow Patriarchate and Patriarch Kirill’s position on the war in Ukraine.

Viilma stressed that despite the history of the cathedral’s construction during the era of Russification, today it is first and foremost an active Orthodox church where believers pray, go to confession, take part in the Liturgy, baptize their children, and get married.

The archbishop noted that the meaning of historic buildings can change over time. He recalled that Estonia has preserved other structures associated with periods of foreign rule, regarding them as part of the country’s cultural heritage.

“The idea of closing any active church, ending its use as a place of worship, or demolishing it cannot be considered appropriate for a Christian cultured nation,” Viilma said. According to him, “a cultured nation does not demolish – it builds,” and the future of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral should rest primarily in the hands of Estonia’s Orthodox Christians.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Estonian Church appealed the termination of the lease on its chancery premises in Tallinn.

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