Estonian Orthodox Local Synod Meets

The Local Synod of the self-governing Church of Estonia under the Moscow Patriarchate has met under Metropolitan Cornelius (Jakobs) of Tallinn to discuss issues in the life of the Estonian Orthodox Church, among them the amendment of the Church's charter in the aftermath of the creation of its second diocese, the the Eparchy of Narva, and the ramifications of a newly enacted Estonian law on cemeteries. More (in Russian) here.

Estonian Apostolic Church Adopts Revised Julian Calendar

The Estonian Apostolic Church of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a breakaway from the Estonian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate, has switched from the Julian calendar to the 'revised Julian' calendar. The change will take place in 2012, but will not include parishes near the Russian border that desire to remain on the church calendar. The mainstream Orthodox Church in Estonia remains on the Julian calendar. More (in French) here.

Metropolitan Hilarion Meets with Estonian Apostolic Church Leader

On Bright Saturday, the last day of his visit to Estonia, Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk of the Russian Orthodox Church met with Metropolitan Stefanos (Charalambides) of Tallinn of the Estonian Apostolic Church under the Ecumenical Patriarchate. During their visit the two metropolitans discussed the ongoing schism within the Orthodox Church in Estonia between the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Estonian Apostolic Church and ways to overcome it. More (in Russian) here.

Controversy Over New Church in Tallinn

The controversy in Estonia over the construction of a new Orthodox church in a largely Russian-speaking district of the capital, Tallinn, is ongoing as the Estonian Security Police have criticized the city's mayor for allowing donations to the church from a Russia-based foundation, the Foundation of St. Andrew the First-Called. The Foundation has responded by questioning the police's accusations that the new church represents an extension of Russian political influence, especially as the Estonian government recently contributed to the renovation of an Estonian Lutheran church in St. Petersburg and this action was not seen in either Russia or Estonia as an aggressive extension of influence on Estonia's part. More here.

Metropolitan Hilarion Comments on Estonian Situation

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk has expressed his hope that as relations between the Constantinopolitan and Russian Orthodox Churches improve so too will the legal situation of the canonical Orthodox Church in Estonia, the self-governing Tallinn Eparchy of the Moscow Patriarchate. Whereas the estranged Estonian Apostolic Church under the Ecumenical Patriarchate has the right to ownership of the properties it uses for worship, the Eparchy of Tallinn can only rent its worship centers from national and local authorities. More on the situation in Estonia here.

Pictured is the Cathedral of St. Alexander of the Neva in Tallinn, EU, which serves as the seat of the Metropolitan of Tallinn and All Estonia of the Russian Orthodox Church.