On February 17, 2025, Abbess Filareta of Pühtitsa Monastery, accompanied by nuns from the monastery, arrived at the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament) to submit a petition requesting the preservation of the monastery's current status. However, their appeal did not sway the government's position: the monastery must decide on its jurisdiction.

According to the Estonian newspaper Postimees, the Speaker of Parliament, Lauri Hussar, refused to meet with the delegation, citing that the visit had not been prearranged. The petition was received by Andrei Hanimegi, chairman of the legal commission. "The nuns are not willing to change their jurisdiction because they remain part of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, having taken a canonical oath, and they do not see the possibility of being under the authority of another religious leader," he explained.

Ringo Ringvee, a representative of Estonia’s Ministry of the Interior, emphasized that the monastery must comply with Estonian laws but clarified that there is no restriction on freedom of religion: "No one is forcing the monastery to renounce the teachings of Christ. The bill guarantees the freedom to practice Christianity. However, the Moscow Patriarchate has departed from the teachings of Christ by justifying the war and hostility toward democratic societies."

It is worth recalling that at the end of January, the Estonian government approved a draft law requiring religious organizations to sever ties with the Russian Orthodox Church if such connections pose a threat to national security. Once the law comes into force, organizations will have two months to align their statutes with the new requirements.

Pühtitsa Monastery remains steadfast in its refusal to change its jurisdiction. Abbess Filareta has previously stated that the nuns do not engage in politics and wish to live peacefully and gracefully in the monastery, remaining faithful to their monastic vows.

Photo: Tairo Lutter / rus.postimees.ee