In part one of this three part series, we reviewed the history of the Russian Orthodox Church (under Moscow), the Estonian Orthodox Church (using the Estonian acronym for Eesti Apostlik-Õigeusu Kirik, EAÕK) and how the EAÕK went into exile during World War II. This article explores how these organisations were re-registered in Estonia subsequent to re-independence in August 1991 and how the Government of Estonia has recently reacted to the Moscow-based Russian Orthodox Church’s support of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In July, 1993, the EAÕK synod in exile, together with EAÕK congregations in re-independent Estonia, submitted a request to the Estonian Ministry of the Interior to re-register its church and its 1935 statute. [Sõnumileht, newspaper number 41, December 15, 1995. Media Relations Dept. of the Ministry of the Interior.]
On August 11th, 1993, the Estonian Ministry of the Interior registered the EAÕK as the official Orthodox Church of Estonia and shortly thereafter, in September 1993, the EAÕK was allowed to make claims to have its real estate (read: churches) returned to it.
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