Conclusion of "The Onion War's Final Battle"*
On Wednesdays, the Riigikogu takes a significant step in deciding the fate of Estonia's Orthodox Church, with the third reading of a bill amending the Churches and Congregations Act. This bill aims to detach the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (MPEÕK) from Moscow's influence, a move met with resistance from MPEÕK due to perceived interference with religious freedom.
This dispute echoes Estonia's strive to end the MPEÕK's canonical ties with the Moscow Patriarchate, a relationship dating back to the Soviet era. The Moscow Patriarchate's leader, Kirill, has endorsed Russia's war in Ukraine and been seen as a national security risk by Estonia, given his support for Russia's aggressive actions.
In April 2025, Estonia's parliament passed a law requiring religious groups to sever foreign ties if those entities incite violence or pose a national security threat. This law directly targets the Moscow Patriarchate, mandating the independence of the Estonian Orthodox Church. The Moscow Patriarchate reacted adversely, citing it as discrimination against 250,000 believers, while some see it as reminiscent of Soviet-era religious persecution.
As of April 2025, Estonia's President has yet to approve the bill, though details about the presidential block remain unclear. The Estonian Orthodox Church revised its charter in August 2024, removing explicit Moscow Patriarchate references, but lawmakers deemed this insufficient.
Internationally, the Moscow Patriarchate has sought global condemnation of Estonia's law, positioning it as an assault on religious freedom—a stance critics find hypocritical given Kirill's support for Russia's war. Local divisions have also emerged, with the rival Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church criticizing the Moscow-aligned church's ties to the "Russian world" ideology. This law could set a precedent for other states, such as Ukraine and Moldova, seeking to counter Russian influence via religious institutions.
- On Wednesdays, the Riigikogu is deliberating the third reading of a bill aimed at detaching the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (MPEÕK) from Moscow's influence, as part of the policy-and-legislation focused on the general news of Estonia's politics.
- The dispute over this bill echoes Estonia's long-standing intention to end the MPEÕK's canonical ties with the Moscow Patriarchate, a relationship that dates back to the Soviet era.
- The Moscow Patriarchate's leader, Kirill, has been endorsing Russia's war in Ukraine and is seen as a national security risk by Estonia, given his support for Russia's aggressive actions, making the bill a contentious issue.
- The Moscow Patriarchate, despite adverse reactions, may find it challenging to maintain congregations in Estonia if the bill is approved, given the policy that mandates independence for religious groups that incite violence or pose national security threats.
