The Riigikogu is expected to pass a legislative amendment tomorrow which would prohibit the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate from continuing to operate under the authority of the Moscow Patriarchate, as such affiliation may threaten national security. Propastop, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior Affairs of Estonia, highlights six widespread myths and deliberately spread false claims regarding the amendment to the Churches and Congregations Act.
Myth #1: Russian Orthodoxy is being banned
Centuries-old Russian Orthodox traditions in Estonia can continue without canonical subordination to the Moscow Patriarchate—an institution that supports Russia’s war of aggression. In 2023, the Latvian Orthodox Church left the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate, and religious life continued unchanged.
Myth #2: The amendment will close Russian Orthodox churches and convent
The Estonian Orthodox Church (formerly known as the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate) and the Pühtitsa Convent operated freely between 1993 and 2002, when the church did not have the status of a legal entity in Estonia. The Pühtitsa Convent was only added to the register of churches and congregations in 1997.
Myth #3: The state is unconstitutionally interfering with freedom of religion
The amendment does not limit the practice of religious freedom. Instead, it prevents hostile influence from reaching congregation members through the administrative ties of a religious organization.
Myth #4: A security threat does not justify restricting the freedom of religious organizations
According to the preamble of the Estonian Constitution, the state must protect both internal and external peace. Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights allows for the restriction of the freedom of association—including that of religious organizations—on legal grounds necessary in a democratic society for the protection of national security or public safety.
Myth #5: The state has had no objections to the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate
The sole legal representative and highest spiritual leader of the Estonian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate is Valerii Reshetnikov, a Russian citizen also known as Metropolitan Eugene. In 2024, the Police and Border Guard Board did not renew his residence permit, citing him as a threat to Estonia’s national security.
Myth #6: Patriarch Kirill has not supported the war in Ukraine as the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church
When Patriarch Kirill speaks as a religious leader, rather than as private citizen Vladimir Gundyayev, he represents the official position of the Russian Orthodox Church.
To members of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Pühtitsa Convent, the patriarch is not only a religious leader but also a spiritual authority and influential figure. He is regularly commemorated during services and prayers held in these congregations.
