Who would control the direction and aims of financial support for the new church?
«If a country wants to financially support a church, it will have to talk to the head of that church who can then decline,” the EAÕK metropolitan said. “It is a burden of great responsibility; however, I must accept in the name of God, my people, society, and peace.»
Moscow's position still rigid
Member of the Riigikogu Orthodox group Priit Sibul (IRL) said he is keeping a worried eye on the merger discussion. Sibul finds that the churches need to remain separate as the level of connectedness between the Russian orthodox church and state power remains unclear.
«I would like the two churches to be sufficiently removed from each other, which is best ensured by the situation today,» Sibul said.
Experts told Postimees that chances Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and Metropolitan Kornelius would be willing to merge the churches in Estonia are minute.
The Patriarchy of Moscow that has 150 million orthodox followers has repeatedly described itself as the new religious center of the world or a so-called third Rome, in which light Moscow is probably not inclined to accept even should Patriarch Bartholomew make a corresponding request.
Allowing the exception in Estonia would mean letting go of far larger and more important orthodox churches such as the one in Ukraine that applied to join the Patriarchy of Kiev this summer.
Another sign is that Kirill was one of four patriarchs who did not attend the signing of the document in Crete in June.
Postimees was unable to get a comment on the potential merger from Metropolitan Kornelius of MPEÕK.