Kirikla Monastery was founded in 2025 under the guidance of Bishop Damaskinos of Haapsalu, a member of the brotherhood of Xenophontos Monastery on Mount Athos. The monastery is home to a small brotherhood of monks who have dedicated their lives to prayer and service to God.
Visitors, pilgrims, and friends of the monastery are always welcome.
Our History
For centuries, the Petseri (Pskov-Pechory) Monastery served as the spiritual center of Estonia's Orthodox Christians. After independence, the monastery remained on the Russian side of the border, and monastic life within the Estonian Orthodox Church came to an end.
In 2024, Hieromonk Damaskinos, a member of the brotherhood of Xenophontos Monastery on Mount Athos, was elected Bishop of Haapsalu, bringing with him a deep wish to establish a men's monastery and carry the spiritual tradition of Mount Athos to Estonia.
In 2026, entrepreneur Urmas Sõõrumaa's generosity gave the brotherhood a home: a property in Kirikla, Harju County, 40 kilometres from Tallinn. Until construction is complete, the brotherhood lives temporarily at the nearby Üiso Farm, which now houses the monastery chapel and living quarters.
In 2025, the first monk of the brotherhood, Father Paisios, was tonsured, ordained to the diaconate in 2026. A second brother has since joined as a novice.
We pray that God will bless the growth of this young brotherhood and bring the monastery to completion.
Life at the Monastery
In a monastery, the day is divided into three parts: prayer, work, and rest.
Prayer
Both communal and private, practiced in one's own cell and in the earliest hours of morning, when night is considered the best time to seek God.
Work
Sustains the monastery and teaches the meaning of effort, from cleaning, kitchen, and garden work to icon painting and construction.
Rest
Deliberately scarce. Monks rise at dawn, choosing prayer over comfort.
Kirikla Monastery is coenobitic, a communal life where no one holds private property, and the monastery provides for all. The brotherhood is like a family: bound by mutual love, obedience, and a shared calling that traces its roots to Mount Athos.
Visiting
Monasteries are places of spiritual retreat. You are welcome to come and see the chapel, enjoy the surroundings, or simply rest for a while. The monastery does not yet have regular opening hours, but we are always glad to welcome visitors by prior arrangement.
