Estonian church appeals to Rome and CofE for help against proposed government ban

The Estonian Orthodox Christian Church (EOCC) has appealed for assistance from the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church because it faces the prospect of a ban by the Estonian government. The Pühtitsa Convent, also faces a ban.

The EOCC, which is the most important church in Estonia, has already asked the US government to put Estonia on a watch list for violators of non secular freedom.

The Estonian government claims that the EOCC is a puppet of Russia resulting from its canonical relationship with the Russian Orthodox Church, which is a supporter of Russia’s current actions in Ukraine. Ministers have already threatened to deport EOCC clergy members.

The EOCC denies it’s a Russian pawn, noting “the Church’s self-governing status in Estonia, its adherence to Estonian laws and denunciations of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and the Convent’s separation from the secular world, which maintains its apolitical nature”.

The church has warned that it faces an “existential threat” and that ought to a ban be passed into law it would depart over 180,000 Christians in Estonia with out a “spiritual foundation and spiritual home”.

In a letter to the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches, the EOCC said, “Despite full compliance with Estonian law and clear opposition to violence — with the Church condemning Russia’s invasion and the Convent affirming its apolitical mission and respect for Estonia’s independence — these peaceful religious communities now face dissolution under newly adopted laws, which bans affiliation with any foreign spiritual center deemed a “security threat.” 

“The Estonian Parliament has already designated the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) as such, and the Church and Convent face termination solely for maintaining their canonical ties, not for any illegal conduct.”

The EOCC said that it appealed in “a spirit of unity and faith… for any support, solidarity, or engagement you would possibly consider offering to assist uphold religious liberty in Estonia at this critical time.”