The Estonian government is preparing to seize the historic Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, one of the landmarks of the capital Tallinn. Interior Minister Igor Taro proposed terminating the free-use agreement between the cathedral and the Russian Orthodox Church.
According to Estonian public broadcaster ERR, after the termination of the agreement, options such as selling, relocating, turning the cathedral into a museum, or demolishing it are being discussed. The church's future remains uncertain.
Scandal claim linked to elections
Estonian parliament member Varro Vooglaid said the controversy is artificial and will not solve any problems in the country. Vooglaid stated, "This scandal was created in connection with the upcoming parliamentary elections."
Backlash floods social media
The government's plan garnered wide attention on social media and was criticized by many Estonians. Commenting on Facebook, Merle Martinson, though an atheist, expressed respect for beliefs, saying, "The church should never be a part of politics, let alone be turned into a pawn in power games. The fact that this building stands in the center of Tallinn is an unchangeable historical truth."
Another user, Siim Avi, recalled that during the First Estonian Republic, it was decided to leave the cathedral in place. Avi commented, "The establishment of the Republic of Estonia was made possible by Estonian elites who had studied in St. Petersburg. The mother tongue of Poska and Koidula was Russian."
Helle Kullerkupp also objected to state interference in church affairs, saying, "A government or people who attack God's house cannot obtain anything good. Instead of fighting holy buildings, statues, and ceiling paintings, we need to find the real pests that have infiltrated our people."
Built in 1900
The five-domed cathedral, located in Tallinn's historic Vyshgorod district, was built in imitation of 17th-century Moscow and Yaroslavl churches. The structure was consecrated in 1900 in memory of Emperor Alexander III's survival of the 1888 train crash. With a capacity of about 1,500 people, the cathedral was added to the list of Estonian cultural monuments in 1995.
