Archbishop Viilma meets with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in Moscow
On Wednesday, Archbishop Urmas Viilma of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELK) and Bishop Tiit Salumäe went on a working visit to Moscow to meet with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia and representatives of the Estonians living in Russia.
The meeting is a confirmation of the good relations between the EELK and he Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, the EELK said in a press release.
The Estonian delegation includes Archbishop Urmas Viilma, Bishop Tiit Salumäe of the Diaspora Region and Margus Laidre, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia.
As Vice-President of the Central and Eastern European Region of the Lutheran World Union, Archbishop Urmas Viila has a responsibility to liaise with the Lutheran churches in Russian territory.
The Lutheran Church has been operating in the territory of present-day Russia for centuries, and in addition to Moscow and St. Petersburg, there are larger Estonian communities living in Siberia. Church leaders will discuss the religious service of Estonians and Lutherans with Estonian roots, and moral support from the Orthodox Church plays an important role in organizing it.
The visit will include a service at the Estonian Embassy in Moscow at 6 p.m. for the Estonian community.
As vice-president, the archbishop will preach on Sunday at the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul in Moscow. Following the service, a meeting will be held with Dietrich Brauer, Archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Europe, and members of his congregation.
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Editor: Helen Wright
