Court Rules in Favor of Estonian Orthodox Church Name Change

OCP News Service – 26/03/2025

Tallinn- Estonia: Estonian Orthodox Church has won a legal battle to change its name to the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church, following an initial rejection by the registry office, which deemed the new name misleading. In September 2024,Estonian Orthodox Church applied to amend its statutes and rename itself the Estonian Orthodox Church. However, the registry office referred the matter to a judge, who ruled the name misleading, as it implied representation of all Orthodox Christians in Estonia.

The church then proposed the name Estonian Christian Orthodox Church, which was also rejected on similar grounds. Despite this, the court found no other issues with the application.

On March 24, the Tartu County Court ruled in favor of Estonian Orthodox Church, granting the name change. The court determined that the new name complies with legal requirements and is not misleading regarding the church’s mission, scope, or legal status. It also affirmed that, under religious freedom principles, no single church can claim to represent all believers.

“Our new name and statutes emphasize our self-governing status. Over the past year, we have faced hostility due to our canonical ties with the Moscow Patriarchate. This change reflects our independence in ecclesiastical, administrative, economic, educational, and civil affairs,” said Bishop Daniel of Estonian Orthodox Church.

The court’s ruling is final and has come into effect.

Source:

OCP News Service