Delegation of the Estonian Church visits the Jerusalem Patriarchate

On May 1, 2025, a delegation of the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church, led by its Primate, Metropolitan Jevgeny of Tallinn and All Estonia, visited the Jerusalem Patriarchate. In Jerusalem, the representatives of the EOCC met with Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, during which Metropolitan Yevgeny told Patriarch Theophilos about the attempts to legislate a ban on the EOCC in Estonia. This was reported by the official website of the EOCC.

It is reported that during a long conversation, Metropolitan Yevhen acquainted His Beatitude Patriarch with the current situation of the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church and its problems, which also concern the Pühtitsk Assumption Stavropegial Monastery. He touched on such issues as the legal status of the Church and the status of its Primate, who is currently deprived of the opportunity to stay in Estonia due to the refusal to extend his residence permit. In addition, they discussed the property status of the Church and the interference of political forces in its life, as well as unfounded accusations that its representatives could potentially pose a threat to the security of the Estonian state.

His Beatitude Patriarch emphasized the difficulty of the situation of Orthodox Christians in Estonia and spoke with particular pain about the suffering of Christians in Gaza and Palestine, Ukraine and Syria. He urged not to be afraid of temptations, because the Church has gone through many trials in its history, which the Lord warned about. Patriarch Theophilus called for increased prayer and assured of his prayerful support. He cited as an example the history of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church, which has survived many empires that have come and gone, but has been fulfilling its ministry for 2000 years.

Metropolitan Yevhen emphasized the importance of the Jerusalem Church as the spiritual Mother of all Churches and the high authority of its Primate for the entire Orthodox world. In his turn, His Beatitude pointed out that the Holy Land is a place of attraction for every believer and emphasized the importance of pilgrimage to Jerusalem to strengthen the faith and spiritual strength of a Christian.

Earlier, the Jerusalem Patriarchate issued an official statement in connection with the adoption by the Estonian Parliament of a new law obliging religious communities to break ties with the Russian Orthodox Church. The statement expresses deep concern about the impact of this law on thousands of believers in churches and monasteries throughout Estonia. “The Jerusalem Patriarchate stands firmly in defense of the right to safe and free worship,” the document emphasizes.