Pilgrimage to Estonia – The ABC of a Pilgrim

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Estonia

(Estonian Eesti), official name -
the Republic of Estonia
(Estonian Eesti Vabariik) is a state located in Northern Europe, on the northeastern coast of the Baltic Sea, washed by the waters of the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Riga. In the east it borders with Russia (border length 294 km), in the south with Latvia (339 km). In the north, in the Gulf of Finland, there is a maritime border with Finland. In the north and west it is washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea.

Orthodoxy in Estonia[edit]

Orthodoxy in Estonia

(Estonian Eesti Õigeusu Kirik) is a Christian denomination in Estonia, represented by two jurisdictions - the Moscow Patriarchate and the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church
Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate

Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate[edit]

Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate

(Estonian: Moskva Patriarhaadi Eesti Őigeusu Kirik) is a self-governing Orthodox Church in the canonical jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).

Received autonomy on May 10, 1920 by a decree of Moscow Patriarch Tikhon, the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church; in July 1923 it was accepted as an autonomous metropolitan district into the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

History of Orthodoxy in Estonia[edit]

The Orthodox religion came to the lands of modern Estonia through the territory of Pskov and Novgorod Rus', penetrating into the country from the southeast. In the contact zones of Estonian tribes and Slavs in the southeast of modern Estonia, the Setu people formed, which have preserved Orthodoxy to this day. The Setos remained Orthodox even during the growing influence of the Crusaders, who poured in from Denmark and Sweden.

During the period of foreign rule, most Estonians in the north-west of the country adopted Lutheranism (one of the branches of Protestantism). Modern estimates of the religious composition of the Estonian population are contradictory. According to the 2000 national census, the number of Orthodox Christians in Estonia is slightly inferior to the number of Lutherans (143,554 versus 152,237 people). Geographically, Orthodoxy is widespread in the east and north of the country.

Schism[edit]

In the early 1990s. XX century The Estonian Orthodox Church split into two structures: the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (EOC MP) and the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church of the Patriarchate of Constantinople (EAOC KP). The split occurred mainly along ethno-linguistic lines. The majority of Russian-speaking believers in Estonia are inclined to the first, the majority of Orthodox Estonians to the second.

The first was denied registration for a long time, and therefore the Russian State Duma accepted special statements in 1996 and 2011. In addition, in modern Estonia there remains a fairly large (by the standards of a small country) Old Believer community of Russian settlers of the 18th century (Jelachek Island, the village of Mustvee, etc., where they make up the majority of the population).

Current position of the EPC MP[edit]

The Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate unites 33 parishes.

The number of clergy is 57 people: 45 priests and 14 deacons. Since August 11, 1992, the Primate of the Church has been Metropolitan Cornelius of Tallinn and All Estonia (Jacobs Vyacheslav Vasilyevich).

On May 27, 2009, by decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the position of suffragan bishop was established, for which the abbot of the St. John the Theological Makarov Monastery in the city of Saransk, Archimandrite Lazar (Gurkin), was appointed (consecration took place on July 21, 2009).

On May 30, 2011, the Narva Diocese was formed as part of the Estonian Orthodox Church within the administrative boundaries of the city of Narva, the parishes of Vaivara, Illuka, Alaijõe, Iizaku, Tudulinna, Lohusuu (Ida-Viru County), the parishes of Torma, Kasepää, Pala (Jõgevamaa County), and the Alatskivi parish. (Tartumaa County). Other administrative territories of the Republic of Estonia are assigned to the Tallinn Diocese, governed by the Metropolitan of Tallinn and All Estonia.

Primates of the Church

Metropolitan of Vilna and Lithuania, Patriarchal Exarch of Latvia and Estonia

Sergius (Voskresensky) (February 24, 1941 - April 29, 1944)

Archbishop of Tallinn and Estonia

Pavel (Dmitrovsky) (March 1945 - February 1, 1946)

Bishop of Tallinn and Estonia

Isidore (Epiphany) (June 22, 1947 - December 18, 1949)

Bishop of Tallinn, vicar of the Leningrad diocese

Roman (Tang) (April 16, 1950 - December 20, 1955)

Bishop of Tallinn and Estonia

John (Alekseev) (December 25, 1955 - August 13, 1961)

Metropolitan of Tallinn and Estonia

Alexy (Ridiger) (September 3, 1961 - July 28, 1986 (part-time until August 11, 1992))

Bishop of Tallinn, Vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'

Cornelius (Jacobs) (September 15, 1990 - August 11, 1992)

Metropolitan of Tallinn and All Estonia

Cornelius (Jacobs) (August 11, 1992 - April 19, 2018) Lazar (Gurkin)
(April 19, 2021 - June 3, 2018) - acting primate, bishop. Narvsky

Evgeniy (Reshetnikov) (from June 3, 2018)

Saints[edit]

Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, in schema Alexy (+ 1263, commemorated August 30, November 23)
Hieromartyr Isidore Yuryevsky and with him 72 victims (+ 1472, memory of January 8)
Venerable Vassa of Pskov-Pechersk (+ c. 1473, commemorated March 19)
Venerable Jonah of Pskov-Pechersk (+ c. 1480, commemorated March 29)
Venerable Serapion of Pskov, Spaso-Eleazarovsky (+ 1482, commemorated May 15, September 7)
Venerable Martyr Cornelius of Pskov-Pechersk (+ 1570, commemorated February 20)
Hieromartyr Arseny (Matseevich), Metropolitan. Rostovsky (+ 1772, commemorated February 28)
Righteous John of Kronstadt, archpriest, wonderworker (+ 1908, commemorated December 20)
Hieromartyr John Kochurov (+ 1917, commemorated October 31)
Holy Martyrs Alexander Volkov and Dimitri Chistoserdov of Ivangorod (+ 1918, commemorated December 26)
Hieromartyr Sergius of Florin, Rakvere (+ 1918, commemorated December 17, June 19)
Hieromartyrs Platon (Kulbush), bishop. Revelsky, Mikhail Bleive and Nikolai Bezhanitsky, prot., (+ 1919, commemorated January 1)
Saint Agathangel (Preobrazhensky), confessor, Metropolitan of Yaroslavl (+ 1923, commemorated October 3)
Hieromartyr Nikolai Siimo, presbyter of Kronstadt (+ 1931, commemorated April 5)
Hieromartyr Karp Elb (+ 1937, commemorated September 11)

Shrines[edit]

The relics of saints and miraculous icons in Estonia are located in the churches of the Russian Orthodox Church.

TALLINN. Orthodox Transfiguration Cathedral. Relics:

sschmch. Plato of Revel (20th century).

RAKVERE. Orthodox Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. Relics:

sschmch. Sergius Florinsky (20th century).

S. KUREMÄE (approx. 20 km south of Jõhvi). Orthodox Holy Dormition Pyukhtitsa Convent:

original icon of the Mother of God “Pyukhtitsa” (“At the source”),
Icon "Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary"
icon of St. Nicholas.

VALGA. Cemetery:

martyr's grave Joanna Pettaia (20th century).

Notes

Census data (inaccessible link)
Statement of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation “On violation of the rights of Orthodox believers in Estonia” dated March 22, 1996; Resolution No. 193-II of the State Duma; Statement of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation “On violation of the rights of Orthodox believers in Estonia” dated June 21, 2001; Resolution No. 1679-III of the State Duma (inaccessible link).
The Council of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate took place. (Accessed June 26, 2021).
About the diocese | Narva and Prichudsk diocese - official website. (Accessed June 26, 2021).
Orthodoxy in Estonia: the view of two metropolitans. Orthodoxy and peace.
By the decision of the Synod, Archimandrite Lazar (Gurkin) was determined to be Bishop of Narva, vicar of the Tallinn diocese. On the official website of MP May 27, 2009.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill led the consecration of Archimandrite Lazar (Gurkin) as Bishop of Narva. Pravoslavie.ru, 21.7.2009.
Journals of the Holy Synod of May 30, 2011, Journal No. 40.

Temples[edit]

Tallinn diocese[edit]

AZERI. Church of St. bliss Ksenia of Petersburg

Pargi 8, 43401 Aseri, Aseri vald, Ida-Virumaa

VALGA. Temple of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God (2001)

Tehnika 7, 68205 Valga

VILJANDI. Temple of John the Baptist

Mae 8, 71020 Viljandi

YYHVI. Church of the Epiphany (1895)

Narva mnt. 2A, 41532 Johvi

KIWILI. Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Piiri 2, 43125 Kiviõli, Ida-Virumaa

KOKHTLA-JARVE. Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord (1938)

Jarveküla tee 3, 31024 Kohtla-Järve

LOXA. Church of St. right John of Kronstadt

Posti 17A, 74805 Loksa, Harjumaa

MAARDU. Temple of the Archangel Michael (1998)

Keemikute 40, 74112 Maardu, Harjumaa

PALDISKI. Church of the Great Martyr and intact Panteleimon (2003)

Muuli 4, 76805 Paldiski

PÄRNU. VMC Temple Catherine (1769)

Vee 8, 80011 Parnu

RAKVERE. Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1839)

Tallinna tn. 17, 44306 Rakvere SILLAMÄE. Temple of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (1990) Jõe 1, 40232 Sillamäe, Ida-Virumaa

TALLINN. Cathedral of St. blgv. book Alexander Nevsky (1900)

Lossi plats 10, 10130 Tallinn

TALLINN. Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Kazan Church) (1721)

Liivalaia 38, 10145 Tallinn

TALLINN. Church of St. Nicholas (1827)

Vene 24, 10123 Tallinn

TALLINN. Church of St. Nicholas (in Kopli) (1936)

Treiali 6, 11712 Tallinn

TALLINN. Temple of John the Baptist (1923)

Tähe 2, 11629 Tallinn

TALLINN. Temple in the name of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”

Sitsi 15A, 10313 Tallinn

TALLINN. Temple in the name of the Icon of the Mother of God “Quick to Hear”

Loopealse pst. 8

TAPA. Temple of John the Baptist (1904)

Pikk 1, 45106 Tapa, Laäne-Virumaa

TARTU. Church of the Great Martyr St. George the Victorious (1870, restored in 1945)

Narva mnt. 103, 51008 Tartu

TYURI. Church of the Holy Trinity (1910)

Aia 2b, 72212 Türi, Järvamaa

HAAPSALU. Church of St. good book Alexander Nevsky (1897)

Surnuaia 16-3, 90504 Haapsalu

Narva and Prichudsky diocese[edit]

ALAYYE. Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1889)

41001 Alajõe, Alajõe vald, Ida-Virumaa

LOHUSUU. Church of the Epiphany (1898)

Järvetee 5, 42001 Lohusuu, Lohusuu vald, Ida-Virumaa

MUSTVEEE. Church of St. Nicholas (1864)

Tartu tn. 14, 49604 Mustvee, Jõgevamaa

NARVA. Resurrection Cathedral (1896)

Bastrakovi 4, 20308 Narva

NARVA. Temple of the Narva Icon of the Mother of God (2003)

Rakvere tn. 39, 20609 Narva

NARVA. Church of St. Equal Apostles Cyril and Methodius (1993)

Kerese tn. 14a, Narva

NARVA. Church of the Hieromartyrs Dmitry and Alexander of Narva (house church under the Diocesan Administration)

Joala 5b, Narva

NARVA. Home church of the holy righteous Simeon the God-Receiver and Anna the Prophetess in the Narva care home

Rahu põik 10, Narva

NARVA-JYESUU. Temple of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (1868, until 1948 it was located in Mereküla, until 2013 - the temple of St. Prince Vladimir)

Vabaduse 63, 29023 Narva-Jõesuu, Ida-Virumaa

NARVA-JYESUU. Home church of St. book Vladimir

Koidu tn. 6, 01234, Narva-Jõesuu, Ida-Virumaa

NINA. Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1828)

60201 Nina, Alatskivi vald, Tartumaa

JAMA. Church of St. Nicholas (1904, restored in 1991)

41001 Jaama, Illuka vald, Ida-Virumaa

Culture of Estonian Old Believers

Cult rituals

Several ancient rituals of the Estonian Old Believers:

Midsummer bonfire;
veneration of the graves and souls of the dead;
home gatherings for Christmas.

Deity Worship

Modern Estonian paganism has two branches. One of them involves the worship of the god Taara. A more popular movement in Estonian neo-paganism is called “Maausk” - “Faith of our Earth”. Supporters of “Maausk” rely on the worship of lower deities (like Russian water creatures and goblins). Just as in other paganisms, when worshiping, people expect help and well-being from a higher power. They worship on sacred holidays, such as Midsummer.

History of religion in Estonia

Initially, people living in what is now Estonia believed in Baltic paganism, but in the 13th century, the Teutonic Knights introduced a new religion to the state - Christianity. Already in the 16th century, the Protestant Reformation took place, after which the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church received state status.

Before the outbreak of World War II, the country was approximately 80% Protestant. Most of the residents included in this percentage were Lutherans, but some also adhered to Calvinism or other Protestant branches.

In 1925, the church was separated from the state, but religious education still remained in schools. After the advent of Soviet power, as well as the introduction of anti-religious laws, the Estonian church lost more than half of its clergy. Some priests tried to fight the Soviet policy of state atheism, for which they were sent into exile. After the collapse of the USSR, anti-religious laws ceased to apply.