Dropping Reference to Moscow Patriarchate from Its Name Won’t Save Russian Church in Estonia

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Sept. 3 – At its August 20 meeting, the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate agreed to drop the last four words from its official title, but the Estonian government said that was not enough to demonstrate that it was independent of the Russian state or save it from being banned altogether.

            In addition, the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church which is subordinate to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople said that the Moscow church’s new name in Estonia, the Estonian Orthodox Church, is what the EAOC is styled in many instances and therefore is too close to be registered (ng.ru/ng_religii/2024-09-03/9_579_scenario.html).

            The puts the future of the Russian church in Estonia in the same place it is in Ukraine, but intriguingly, the Moscow Patriarchate did not raise public objections to Tallinn’s rejection of a change it had earlier insisted upon. And that has had consequences in Moldova where some officials say dropping the reference to Moscow could save the Russian church there.

            Given the experience of Ukraine and Estonia, however, as well as that same church in Latvia, it seems that such hopes are misplaced. Those who oppose having a Russian church inside their country are certain to counter that a name change doesn’t guarantee a change in status as Moscow hasn’t recognized it and these churches continue to act as Moscow wants.