Founded last year in one of Europe’s most secular societies, the Kirikla Orthodox Monastery is the first monastery the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church has established in decades. Even so, the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church has long sought to rebuild its own male monastic community within its own borders. While the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church system currently has more than 60 churches, as well as a convent, the last Orthodox monks lived in Estonia more than 80 years ago during a period of independence between the world wars. “The monastery’s meaning is also global in the sense that we pray for the whole world,” Damaskinos said. Their lifestyle appeals to young visitors of the monastery, Paisios said.