Legal experts at the Lithuanian parliament have warned that two bills targeting the Lithuanian Orthodox Church may conflict with the country’s Constitution. The proposals envisage transferring several historic Orthodox churches to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and could lead to changes in the legal status of the Lithuanian Orthodox Church.

The findings were issued by the Legal Department of the Office of the Seimas on October 28 and published on the Lithuanian Orthodox Church’s website.

The first bill, No. XVP-1977, proposes transferring five historic religious properties to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople: the Holy Spirit Monastery, the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God, St. Paraskeva Church and St. Nicholas Church in Vilnius, as well as the Church of the Dormition in Vievis.

Parliamentary lawyers noted that the properties belong to religious organizations registered in Lithuania, rather than to the Moscow Patriarchate. Transferring them without taking the legal owners’ rights into account could violate constitutional protections of property rights and bypass the judicial process for resolving property disputes, the experts said.

The second bill, No. XVP-1979, would establish grounds for reviewing the status of traditional religious organizations and recognizing a church center associated with the Ecumenical Patriarchate as the exclusive representative of Orthodox Christians in Lithuania.

According to the Legal Department, these provisions raise constitutional concerns, particularly in relation to Article 43, which guarantees religious organizations the right to govern themselves independently in accordance with their canons and statutes.

The lawyers also emphasized that the historically established status of a traditional religious community cannot be arbitrarily revoked by lawmakers.

The Lithuanian Orthodox Church has previously opposed the proposed legislation. Metropolitan Innokenty of Vilnius and Lithuania appealed to President Gitanas Nausėda, the speaker of the Seimas and the prime minister, urging them to consider the potential consequences for Church property and the rights of believers.

Parishioners from the affected churches have also voiced their opposition. Appeals submitted to parliament included statements from the brotherhood of the Holy Spirit Monastery and congregations associated with St. Paraskeva Church, the Cathedral of the Dormition, St. Nicholas Church and the Church of the Dormition in Vievis.

The faithful called on lawmakers to prevent the transfer of the religious sites and stressed their right to determine their own ecclesiastical affiliation.

The Legal Department’s conclusions strengthen the arguments of those opposing the bills but do not automatically block their passage. The final decision rests with the Lithuanian parliament.

The proposals have sparked debate over the relationship between religious autonomy, property rights and the legal status of traditional religious communities in Lithuania. The parliamentary review is expected to be a key factor in determining the legislation’s future.