Estonian Court Orders Orthodox Church to Vacate Historic Offices in Tallinn

Photo: Church Times

TALLINN — An Estonian court has upheld the city of Tallinn’s decision to evict the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church from its Old Town administrative offices, concluding a year-long dispute that has mirrored wider strains between Estonia and Russia, according to reporting from rbc.ru.

The Harju County Court backed the termination of the Church’s long-standing lease on Pikk Street, where it has operated since the 19th century. Authorities first ordered the Church to vacate in April 2024, citing security concerns tied to its ties with the Moscow Patriarchate.

The dispute intensified after Patriarch Kirill of Moscow called Russia’s war in Ukraine a “holy war,” a stance Estonia’s security services said spread Kremlin ideology through Church structures. Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets publicly urged the Church to sever ties with Moscow.

The Church, which has challenged the eviction at the European Court of Human Rights, has also been accused by Estonian security services of negotiating Russian-backed projects in Tallinn. Its primate, Metropolitan Evgeny, was denied a residence permit and now directs operations from Russia, which Estonia cites as evidence of the church's reliance on Moscow.

The ruling coincides with Estonia’s push to tighten restrictions on Moscow-linked religious bodies, as parliament presses forward with legislation President Alar Karis has twice refused to sign.

Previously, UOJ reported that the Estonian Parliament (or Riigikogu) declined to revisit the recent law targeting the canonical Church, despite protests by Estonia's president.

Read also