Estonian Church (MP) selecting new metropolitan

Metropolitan Cornelius

(ERR) - The Synod of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate on Saturday chose Head Bishop Eugen and Bishop Lazar, rector of the Moscow Theological Academy and bishop of Narva and the Lake Peipsi shoreland, as candidates for the new head of the church following the demise of Metropolitan Cornelius in April.

The new church leader will be elected by the council of the church in Tallinn on May 29, the secretary of the Synod told ERR.

The candidates must also be reviewed and endorsed by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill.

The council is made up of all members of the clergy plus one lay representative from every congregation. No additional candidates can be nominated at the council.

The Synod of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, which held its meeting at Kuremae Convent on Saturday, is made up of two bishops, six priests and two lay members.

According to the statutes of the church, the affairs of the church are managed until the election of a new metropolitan by the oldest bishop of the church, Lazar.

Lazar, whose birth name is Alexander Gurkin, has been bishop for nine years. Pior to his posting to Estonia he was head of the Saransk Monastery in Russia.

The previous head of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Cornelius, died on April 19 aged 93.