Migration and ecclesiology

This article addresses the question of contemporary migrations from an ecclesiological perspective, drawing on the reflections of Metropolitan Stephanos of Tallinn, primate of the Estonian Orthodox Church. In a study that is both pastoral and theological, the author examines the ecclesiological implications of the migratory phenomenon for the Orthodox world, particularly the multiplication of parallel jurisdictions over the same territory in Western Europe. The central idea is that this canonical situation stems from an ecclesial nationalism that the author identifies as an ecclesiological heresy. The contribution of the article lies in the articulation between a contemporary social issue and an ancient canonical problem, that of the territoriality of the Church, thus offering a critical contribution to Orthodox reflection on the unity of the Church in the face of the challenges posed by modern human mobility.