EU state launches clampdown on its largest Christian church

 

The Estonian Orthodox Church could reportedly be forced to cut ties with Russia under a new law

Estonia's parliament has approved a law that could force the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church (ECOC) to sever its historical ties with Russia, according to local broadcaster ERR. Moscow has slammed the move as a “blow to religious rights and freedoms.” 

The ECOC – formerly known as the Estonian Orthodox Church (EOC) – had previously been required to revise its charter and remove any mention of the Moscow Patriarchate, despite maintaining canonical ties with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).

On Wednesday, the Baltic nation’s parliament passed amendments to the Law on Churches and Congregations in a third and final reading, with 60 votes in favor and 13 against in the 101-seat Riigikogu.

Under the new law, religious organizations in Estonia cannot be bound by foundational documents to a foreign governing body that “poses a threat” to national security. The changes were introduced in response to the Moscow Patriarchate’s support for Russia’s military operation against the Kiev regime, ERR reported on Wednesday.

Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Laanemets, who initiated the bill, had previously threatened to shut down monasteries that refuse to cut ties and even threatened to classify the ROC as a terrorist organization. In August 2024, the EOC revised its charter and removed references to the Moscow Patriarchate, but Laanemets said the move was insufficient.  (more...)

EU state launches clampdown on its largest Christian church