In the evening of October 26th Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople arrived in Estonia for a weeklong visit. The Estonian side attaches great significance to this visit and equals it to the visit of the Pope. Shortly before the visit President Lennart Meri issued an edict on awarding Patriarch Bartholomew 'The Cross of Maarimaa' order, the highest sign of honour that can be given to a foreigner.

The day before the visit the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate by means of Archbishop of Tallinn and Estonia Cornelius' press-office had issued a statement in which it was noted: 'Neither the Primate of our Estonian Orthodox Church, nor the clergy and nor the people of our Local Church won't take part in the events of the forthcoming visit and won't share communion with Patriarch Bartholomew.'

The correspondent of the 'Pravoslavie 2000' has contacted by telephone with Archimandrite Elisey (Ganaba) in Tallinn, the secretary on inter-Orthodox relations of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and the representative of the Moscow Patriarchate in Estonia. Father Elisey said, that such a position was caused by the fact, that Patriarch of Constantinople had notified neither Patriarch of Moscow, nor Estonian Archbishop Cornelius of his intention to visit the canonical territory of the Moscow Patriarchate - that is, Estonia. They had heard of the visit of Patriarch Bartholomew through the Estonian Lutheran Church.

The conflict has developed into scandal. Today, on October 27th, the Estonian newspaper 'Postimees' published an article of Patriarch Bartholomew, where he states: 'Zurich's agreements on dividing parishes in Estonia between two jurisdictions, of the Moscow and the Constantinople Patriarchates, are 'misunderstood' by Moscow.' Patriarch Bartholomew asserts that there must be not two parallel jurisdictions in Estonia, but the only Primate, that is, himself.

'This is a very radical assertion, - emphasized Archimandrite Elisey, - which we hear of from Patriarch Bartholomew for the first time.' In the opinion of the Moscow Patriarchate's representative, all hopes concerning the settlement of the conflict have been dashed to the ground. Until present the Estonian authorities have refused to register the parishes that are under the canonical jurisdiction and faithful to the Moscow Patriarchate. 'And such parishes are in the majority in Estonia,'- noted Father Elisey.

The parishes under jurisdiction of the Constantinople Patriarchate were created in Estonia in 1996. At that time it had come to the temporary cessation of Communion between the two Churches. It is not known what the present conflict will lead to. Archimandrite Elisey is only sure that: 'No good for Orthodoxy can be expected.' For Patriarch Aleksy the situation is particularly painful, as he was born, grew up and started his service in Estonia.

Archimandrite Elisey emphasized that the conflict has underlying political reasons. 'This is the division not only in the Orthodox circles, this is an impetus to civil opposition.' The Estonian authorities, striving for integrity with the West, put every effort in proving their dislike of Moscow. To discrimination on the basis of nationality the 'civilized Baltic nation' has added discrimination on the base of religion. It is interesting how these actions correspond with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is so popular with the Estonian authorities.