Православная церковь в независимых Прибалтийских республиках

ENThe article examines and compares the position of the Russian Orthodox Church in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania in conjunction with the political changes in these states in the 1920s - 1930s. and 1990s - 2000s. In the conditions of the declaration of independence of Estonia and Latvia, as well as the presence of a significant Russian-speaking minority in these republics, the Orthodox Churches of these states were involved in a political and ideological confrontation between official Tallinn and Riga, on the one hand, and Moscow, on the other. As a result of this confrontation, in the Baltic states, under pressure from local national governments, in the interwar period, the Estonian and Latvian dioceses transferred to the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The leading role of Constantinople continued until the incorporation of the Baltic countries into the Soviet Union in 1940, when the canonical relationship with the Moscow Patriarch was restored. The church schism proved itself with renewed vigor in the newest period, when the Baltic republics regained their independence again. At the same time, in each of the states, the situation developed taking into account local characteristics, and the church schism acquired an ethno-national character. Thus, two Orthodox churches coexist in Estonia and Latvia - one under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate, the other under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Lithuania, by virtue of its more mono-ethnic character, as well as the peculiarities of historical development, managed to avoid a church schism in the ranks of Orthodox believers. Key words: Baltic republics, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russian-speaking minority, church schism, Orthodox Church. [From the publication]