Orthodox archdiocese says it poses no threat to Lithuania

The Vilnius and Lithuania Orthodox Archdiocese says there is no evidence that it threatens Lithuania, responding to concerns about Moscow Patriarchate-linked groups raised by researchers, LRT and ELTA reported.

Representatives of the Libertas Fidei Religious Freedom Research Centre presented a study in Vilnius on Wednesday, saying Russia uses religious institutions to spread political influence, propaganda and disinformation. They said the activities of organisations linked to the Moscow Patriarchate should also be assessed in the context of national security.

Debate has continued in Lithuania for several years over the fact that many of the country’s Orthodox Christians belong to the Moscow Patriarchate, whose leader, Patriarch Kirill, openly supports Russia’s war against Ukraine. Some Orthodox Christians have left and now belong to a church structure linked to Constantinople.

In a statement to the media, the archdiocese said most of its clergy and faithful are Lithuanian citizens. “Unfounded attempts to call Orthodox Christians a ‘fifth column’ do not strengthen our state’s security. On the contrary, they discriminate against an entire religious community and deepen divisions in Lithuanian society,” it said.

The community said it supported dialogue and urged all interested parties to take part. It also expressed particular concern about efforts to bring Ukraine’s religious conflict to Lithuania, calling this a dangerous course that would harm the country. Canonical affiliation with the Moscow Patriarchate, it said, does not prevent its members from being law-abiding Lithuanian citizens and patriots.

Researchers warn of links to Moscow

The study examines the Russian Orthodox Church’s role in justifying the war against Ukraine, its activities in the European Union, and the network and funding of organisations linked to the Moscow Patriarchate. It also considers whether those structures could be used to spread Kremlin influence.

The study was presented by Sergii Shumylo, executive director of the Libertas Fidei centre and a senior researcher at Vilnius University. He said the network of Moscow Patriarchate-linked parishes and other organisations in Europe was much broader than the number of churches alone.

According to Shumylo, there are 215 Moscow Patriarchate parishes in the Baltic states: 52 in Lithuania, 125 in Latvia and 37 in Estonia. He said the European Union has about 670 to 700 such parishes. Including schools, cultural centres, foundations and other organisations, the number of organisations linked to these structures exceeds 1,000.

Shumylo cited examples from other European countries and spoke of possible links between these structures and Russian intelligence. In some cases, he said, religious organisations may be used for political or security purposes as well as religious ones.

Ingrida Šimonytė, a member of parliament and former prime minister who attended the conference, said decisions made by Moscow Patriarchate structures in Lithuania were not independent and remained closely tied to Moscow. “Decisions about what happens in Lithuania, who is appointed, who will lead and so on, are not independent. Those decisions are closely connected to Moscow,” she said.

Šimonytė said the Moscow Patriarchate’s influence in Lithuania was limited, while religious structures in other countries could be used more actively to interfere in domestic politics. She also discussed Estonia’s efforts to sever the Orthodox Church’s ties with the Moscow Patriarchate through legislation.