Department for External Church Relations
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Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem: "We are prepared to offer whatever help we can to all our brothers and sisters in Estonia"
DECR Communication service, 14.05.2025.
On April 10, 2025, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church issued a statement regarding the recently adopted law by the Estonian parliament, which discriminates against many faithful citizens of the country and deprives them of religious freedom. The Synod also requested His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' to send corresponding appeals to the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches, the heads of non-Orthodox Christian Churches and inter-Christian organizations, as well as leaders and representatives of international institutions.
In a response letter addressed to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine expressed concern over the amendments to Estonia’s law on churches and congregations, which effectively aim to ban the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate—a self-governing Church within the Russian Orthodox Church.
"We have been watching carefully the developments in Estonia. In Jerusalem, we have grown acutely aware of violations against freedom of worship," the letter of His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos states.
The adoption of this discriminatory law by the Estonian parliament, according to the Primate of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church, "reinforces the urgent need for unity among our fellow Patriarchs."
"We believe that dialogue is the only avenue to genuine peace and restoration of the unity of the Orthodox sister Churches," he emphasized.
"We are prepared to offer whatever help we can to all our brothers and sisters in Estonia," Patriarch Theophilos affirmed.
Concluding his message, he added: "We pray that our Holy Orthodox Church will one day soon be able once again to dwell together in the fullness of unity."
Earlier, on April 30, the Jerusalem Patriarchate published a statement on its official website condemning Estonia’s discriminatory law.
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