Christianity in Estonia

 Christianity in Estonia: The Republic of Estonia is situated in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the North by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the West by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the South by Latvia, and to the East by Russia. The official language is Estonian, while the capital and largest city is Tallinn. Estonia has a human population of 1,373,101, spread across several ethnic groupings.

These include Estonians, 68.5%; Russians, 20.9%; Ukrainians, 5.4%; others, 5.2%. Atheism has a strong root in the country, embraced by 58.6% of its population. Known faiths are Eastern Orthodoxy, 16.3%; Lutheranism, 7.7%; other Christian denominations, 2.7%;  Islam, 0.5%; Estonian Neopaganism, 0.5%; Buddhism 0.2%; undeclared, 12.7%, other religions, 0.9%.

Brief History

 Indigenous Finnic tribes were the earliest inhabitants of Estonia, followed by periods of rule by Danes, Swedes, Germans, Poles, and Russians. The country enjoyed a brief independence in 1918, before the defunct Soviet Union forcefully annexed it during World War II. It regained full freedom in 1991, leading to rapid digital development and membership of both the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in 2004. The incumbent President is Alar Karis.

God’s Canvass

 The country’s terrain is predominantly flat, with an average elevation of about 50 metres. While plains dominate in the North and West, the South and East have more hills. There are about 1,560 natural lakes in Estonia, 7,000 rivers, streams and canals, with only ten of them exceeding 100 kilometres. The fauna and flora of the country are presented below.

Fauna

 Estonia’s sparse population and large areas of forest have allowed stocks of many animals to survive. These include lynx, wild boar, brown bears, and moose. Some of them are shown in  the pictures below.

Flora

 The country’s flora consists of over 1,400 vascular plant species, including 50 species of ferns, 4 species of conifers, and 1,387 species of flowering plants. The pictures below capture some of the plant species.

Beaches

Culture

 Estonian culture is a unique blend of indigenous Finnic traditions with strong Nordic, German, and Slavic influences. This is characterised by deep ties to nature, a love for music (especially choral singing), sauna culture, distinctive cuisine featuring rye bread, pork and forest foods, and a modern, innovative spirit. Key aspects include communal values, unique superstitions, and a blend of ancient pagan beliefs with low religious adherence.

Traditional Attire

 The country’s traditional attire, known as ‘rahvariided’ (people’s clothes), feature linen shirts, wool skirts (often striped), and embroidered vests. Men wear breaches and women adorn with distinctive headwear, silver jewellery (like coin necklaces), and woven belts. These are primarily worn for festive occasions like song and dance festivals. Some of them are shown in the pictures below.

Cuisine

 Estonian cuisine is hearty, seasonal, and rooted in local ingredients like pork, potatoes, fish, dairy and dark rye bread. It has strong influences from Northern European traditions, combined with evolving modern twists. Key staples include black bread, sauerkraut, herring, and game, while seasonal highlights feature berries, mushrooms and preserved foods. The pictures below capture some of the notable dishes of the country.

Status of Christianity in Estonia

          Estonia is one of the most secular countries in Europe, with only one in four people claiming to be believers in Christ. In reality, many people believe in something, even the so-called atheists who constitute about 60% of the population.  However, paganism is enjoying something of a revival in the country, especially nature worship. This distressing information should ginger Christians everywhere to intercede for these lost souls. The following prayer points are for guidance; let us pray as the Holy Spirit leads us.

Prayer Request

1. Pray that God would judge and uproot the demonic principalities and powers influencing the hearts and actions of unsaved Estonians.
2. In particular, ask Him to dethrone the demons of unbelief in the heart of Estonians, using their President, Alar Karis as point of contact.
3. Ask the Father to reveal Himself to those who doubt His existence.
4. Pray that God would cause there to be hunger for Him and His word in the entire country.
5. Ask the Father to destroy faulty foundations laid in the hearts of Christian believers through demonic doctrines and errors from human interpretation of His word; and lay new foundation in them in Christ.
6. Pray that God would sanctify believers with His word and fill them with His Spirit.
7. Ask the Father to send labourers into His harvest in the country from within and outside its shores.
8. Pray that He would protect these missionaries and empower them to minister Christ with their lives.

Intercession Checklist

 From the map of Estonia presented in the text, choose a town, city or region for focused prayer. Present the chosen geographical space to the Father and tell Him that you are claiming their people for Christ as his ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20). Remind the Father that He had instructed the Messiah to ask Him for the nations as His inheritance (Psalm 2:8).

**** Some materials sourced from Estonia, https://en.wikipedia.org; Spirituality in Estonia – the World’s ‘Least Religious’ Country, https://bbc.com.