History Estonian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate

orthodox missionaries novgorod , pskov active among estonians in southeast regions of area, closest pskov, in 10th through 12th centuries. result of northern crusades in beginning of 13th century, estonia fell under control of western christianity. however, russian merchants later able set small orthodox congregations in several estonian towns. 1 such congregation expelled town of dorpat (tartu) germans in 1472, martyred priest, isidor, along number of orthodox faithful (the group commemorated on january 8).

little known history of church in area until 17th , 18th centuries, when many old believers fled there russia avoid liturgical reforms introduced patriarch nikon of moscow.

in 18th , 19th centuries, estonia part of imperial russian empire, having been conquered emperor peter great. significant number of estonian peasants converted orthodox faith in (unfulfilled) hope of obtaining land, , numerous orthodox churches built. in 1850 diocese of riga (in latvia) established russian orthodox church , many estonian orthodox believers included. in late 19th century, wave of russification introduced, supported russian hierarchy not local estonian clergy. cathedral of st. alexander nevsky in tallinn , pühtitsa convent (pukhtitsa) in kuremäe in east estonia built around time.

in 1917 first estonian, platon (paul kulbusch), ordained bishop of riga , vicar of tallinn.

after estonian republic proclaimed in 1918, patriarch of russian orthodox church, st. tikhon, in 1920 recognised orthodox church of estonia (oce) being independent. archbishop aleksander paulus elected , ordained head of estonian church. after, estonian church lost contact moscow due intense religious persecution of russian orthodox church new leninist regime. in september 1922 council of estonian apostolic orthodox church took decision address patriarch of constantinople, meletius iv (metaxakis) of constantinople, petition adopt estonian orthodox church under jurisdiction of patriarchate of constantinople , declare autocephalous. later on metropolitan of tallinn , estonia alexander wrote done under intense pressure of state. on 7 july 1923 in constantinople meletios metaxakis presented tomos on adoption of estonian orthodox church under jurisdiction of patriarchate of constantinople separate church autonomy estonian orthodox metropolia .

at suggestion of patriarchate of constantinople, estonia divided 3 dioceses, tallinn, narva , pechery. evsevy (drozdov) became head of narva cathedra. john (bulin), graduate of st. petersburg theological academy, became bishop of pechery in 1926. headed diocese until 1932 , left because of disagreements on properties of pskov-pechery monastery. bishop john spent several years in yugoslavia , came estonia in late 1930s. actively backed return of estonian orthodox church jurisdiction of moscow patriarchate. on 18 october 1940, bishop john arrested nkvd in pechery, accused of anti-soviet agitation , propaganda, , executed on 30 july 1941 in leningrad.

before 1941, 1 fifth of total estonian population (who had been lutheran since reformation in 16th century when country controlled teutonic order) orthodox christians under patriarchy of constantinople. there 158 parishes in estonia , 183 clerics in estonian church. there chair of orthodoxy in faculty of theology @ university of tartu. there pskovo-pechorsky monastery in petseri, 2 convents—in narva , kuremäe, priory in tallinn , seminary in petseri. ancient monastery in petseri preserved mass church destruction occurred in soviet russia.

occupation

in 1940, estonia became constituent republic of soviet union, government undertook general programme of dissolution of ecclesiastical independence within territory. 1942 1944, however, autonomy under constantinople temporarily revived. in 1945, representative of moscow patriarchate dismissed members of oce synod had remained in estonia , established new organisation, diocesan council. orthodox believers in estonian soviet socialist republic subordinated being diocese within russian orthodox church.

soon after nazi germany attacked soviet union, metropolitan alexander declared break-up moscow , reunion patriarchate of constantinople. bishop paul of narva remained loyal moscow patriarchate. during occupation, germans didn t hamper metropolitan alexander lead life of parishes , bishop paul in charge of russian diocese in narva , many other parishes loyal russian orthodox church.

not long before soviet army entered tallinn, metropolitan alexander left estonia, synod of estonian apostolic orthodox church addressed alexy (simansky), metropolitan of leningrad , novgorod, petition resume jurisdiction of moscow patriarchate.

just before soviet occupation in 1944 , dissolution of estonian synod, primate of church, metropolitan aleksander, went exile along 21 clergymen , 8,000 orthodox believers. orthodox church of estonia in exile synod in sweden continued activity according canonical statutes, until restoration of estonian independence in 1991. before died in 1953, metr. aleksander established community exarchate under constantinople. of other bishops , clergy remained behind exiled siberia. in 1958, new synod established in exile, , church organized sweden.

estonian independence

following breakup of soviet union, divisions within orthodox community in estonia arose between wished remain under russian authority , wished return jurisdiction of ecumenical patriarchate, dispute taking place along ethnic lines, many russians having immigrated estonia during soviet occupation. lengthy negotiations between 2 patriarchates failed produce agreement.

in 1993, synod of orthodox church of estonia in exile re-registered autonomous orthodox church of estonia, , on february 20, 1996, ecumenical patriarch bartholomew renewed tomos granted oce in 1923, restoring canonical subordination ecumenical patriarchate. action brought immediate protest estonian-born patriarch alexei ii of moscow patriarchate, regarded native estonia part of canonical territory , patriarch of moscow temporarily removed name of ecumenical patriarch diptychs.

an agreement reached in local congregations choose jurisdiction follow. orthodox community in estonia, accounts 14% of total population, remains divided, majority of faithful (mostly ethnic russians) remaining under moscow. u.s. department of state report november 2003, 20,000 believers (mostly ethnic estonians) in 60 parishes part of autonomous church, 150,000 faithful in 31 parishes, along monastic community of pühtitsa, paying traditional allegiance moscow.

on 6 november 2000 archbishop cornelius became metropolitan of tallinn , estonia.