They want to deprive us of canonical connection with our Church, - hierarch of the Estonian Church

Bishop Daniel of Tartu, Vicar of the Diocese of Tallinn of the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church (formerly the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate — ed.), made a statement following the meeting of the Holy Synod of the Church held on March 27, 2025. The hierarch noted that the impending adoption of an anti-church law in Estonia threatens to escalate into a serious crisis in relations between the Church and the state. The bishop’s comment was reported by the official website of the ECOC.

«We are deeply concerned that the legislative changes being adopted could lead to a serious crisis in the religious life of Orthodox believers in Estonia. They want to deprive us of the canonical connection with our Church, some of our clergy may lose the right to perform services in their parishes, and the adoption of both laws actually threatens the further existence of our Church. Each parish is real people, our parishioners, who may be left without spiritual care and the opportunity to pray in their churches,» — Bishop Daniel commented on the situation.

Earlier it was reported that Bishop Daniel of Tartu made a report during the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which is being held in Geneva from February 24 to April 4, 2025. The hierarch noted that the ECOC is forced to bear responsibility for the position of religious and secular figures living in other countries.