Church of Estonia (Moscow Patriarchate)
Estonian Orthodox Church | |
Jurisdiction | Russia |
Diocese type | Semi-autonomous |
Founded | 1920 |
Current bishop | Cornelius (Yacobs) |
See(s) | Tallinn |
Headquarters | Tallinn, Estonia |
Territory | Estonia |
Liturgical language(s) | Church Slavonic, Estonian |
Musical tradition | Russian Chant |
Calendar | Julian |
Population estimate | 250,000 |
Official website | Estonian Orthodox Church |
The Orthodox Church of Estonia (Estonian: Eesti Őigeusu Kirik, Russian: Эстонская Православная Церковь) is a semi-autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church with jurisdiction in Estonia. Its current primate is Cornelius (Yacobs), with the title of Metropolitan of Tallinn and all Estonia.
The Estonian Orthodox Church should not be confused with the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church, an autonomous part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Estonia. The Russian Orthodox Church does not recognize the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church, and its establishment in 1996 led to rupture of communion between the Moscow and Constantinople Patriarchates. Though communion was restored, relations between the two Patriarchates remain tense over the Estonian issue. In particular, the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church ruled in 2000 that the Moscow Patriarchate will not participate in any pan-Orthodox gathering were delegates from the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church are present.