Other events in Baltic States

Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELC) XXIXth Church Assembly elected on Wednesday Urmas Viilma as the next EELC Archbishop, the head of the Lutheran church in Estonia, LETA/Public Broadcasting reports.

Urmas Viilma is Tallinn's Dome Church Congregation pastor, chancellor of the Consistory. Urmas Viilma was born on August 13, 1973 in Tallinn and has graduated from EELC Religious Sciences Institute in 1998. He was ordained deacon in 1993 and pastor in 1998. He has also worked as religious studies teacher in schools for 20 years. He is married and has one child.

EELC had to choose a new Archbishop because according to church regulations, a minister becomes an emeritus when he becomes 65 years old. Archbishop Andres Põder became 65 years old on November 22 and thus became Archbishop Emeritus. Põder was ordained as Archbishop in February 2005. Till the new Archbishop is ordained on February 2, Bishop Einar Soone fulfils the obligations of the Archbishop.