The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Completes His Visit to Estonia

THE PRIMATE OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH COMPLETES HIS VISIT TO ESTONIA

On 30 September 2003, the last day of his Primatial visit to Estonia, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia received in his residence the head of the ecclesiastical structure of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Estonia Metropolitan Stephanos at the request of the latter. Taking part in the talk were Metropolitan Kornily of Tallinn and All Estonia; Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate; Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, secretary for InterOrthodox relations of the DECR MP and T.Ruutel, managing director of the Association of Real Estate Companies of Estonia and adviser of Metropolitan Stephanos.

The participants in the meeting exchanged their views on the situation of Orthodoxy in Estonia and the relations among the believers in the jurisdictions of the Patriarchates of Moscow and Constantinople. They also expressed their opinions on the prospects of the final settlement of the property problems of the parishes of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.

The members of the Moscow Patriarchate delegation noted that for the normalization of relations among the Orthodox Christians in Estonia it is necessary first of all to implement the agreements, which have been reached at the meetings of the official delegations of the Patriarchates of Constantinople and Moscow in Zurich (1996) and Berlin (2001). These agreements, which were approved by the Holy Synods of the both Patriarchates, presuppose equal rights of the two Orthodox ecclesiastical jurisdictions in Estonia, including property rights. The execution of the decisions taken by the two Patriarchates will open the way to the development of fraternal canonical relations, including a possibility of liturgical concelebration and cooperation in the field of the Orthodox witness, education, social work and other kinds of diaconical activity.

In conclusion of his visit His Holiness Patriarch Alexy answered the questions of the journalists. On leaving Tallinn, His Holiness expressed his heartfelt gratitude for a warm reception rendered to him in his native Estonia and called upon all people in the country, irrespective of their national or confessional belonging, to live in peace and accord with one another. The Primate of the Church underlined that the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate must take an active part in the solution of social problems in Estonia.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church returned to Moscow at 07.00 p.m.

See also:

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of St.Alexander Nevsky in Tallinn on the Feast of the Elevation of the Honoured and Life-Creating Cross

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy celebrates the All-Night Vigil Service on the Eve of the Elevation of the Honoured and Life-Creating Cross in the Tallinn Cathedral of St.Alexander Nevsky

His Holiness the Patriarch Expresses His Hope that All the Problems of Ensuring the Rights of the Believers in Estonia Will Be Settled

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy Shares His Thoughts on the Relations with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy meets the Prime Minister of Estonia Yu.Parts

The Visit of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy to Estonia Continues

“I WHOLEHEARTEDLY WISH GOD’S BLESSING, ACCORD AND PEACE TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND OF ESTONIA”. An homily of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia in the Cathedral of St.Alexander Nevsky in Tallinn

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia on a Visit to Estonia