The Metropolis of Bessarabia commemorated the 24th anniversary of its official recognition by the authorities of the Republic of Moldova with a special event held at its Metropolitan headquarters in Chișinău on Thursday, July 30, 2026.
The anniversary marked the recognition granted on July 30, 2002, following the implementation of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia and Others v. Moldova.
The commemoration was held with the blessing of Metropolitan Antonie, Archbishop of Chișinău, Metropolitan of Bessarabia and Exarch of the Lands, and was attended by clergy, representatives of public authorities, academics, cultural figures, members of the media and faithful from Chișinău and surrounding areas.
The event began at the Metropolitan Chapel of St. John the Theologian, where Metropolitan Antonie, together with a group of priests, celebrated a service of thanksgiving. Prayers were offered for the blessings bestowed upon the Metropolis and for all those who had contributed to the revival and consolidation of the historic ecclesiastical institution of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
A memorial service was also celebrated for the late Patriarch Teoctist, the Patriarchs of Romania and the Metropolitans of Bessarabia, as well as clergy, lawyers, diplomats, cultural figures and faithful who contributed to securing the Metropolis’ recognition and rights.
In an anniversary message, Metropolitan Antonie reflected on the historical, legal and spiritual significance of July 30, 2002. He described the official recognition of the Metropolis as the reaffirmation of a historical, canonical and spiritual truth, confirmed by the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, and as the beginning of a broader revival of Romanian ecclesiastical life between the Prut and Dniester rivers.
The Metropolitan also paid tribute to the hierarchs, priests, faithful, lawyers, diplomats, historians and cultural figures who had worked toward recognition. He stressed that religious freedom and respect for historical truth were fundamental values of a free, democratic and prosperous society.
At the same time, he reaffirmed the Metropolis of Bessarabia’s commitment to continuing its pastoral, missionary, cultural, social and charitable work.
Historian Ion Negrei, a researcher at the Institute of History of Moldova State University, also addressed the gathering. He outlined the historical and legal circumstances surrounding the recognition process and highlighted the importance of the European Court of Human Rights judgment for religious freedom in Moldova and for what he described as the restoration of historical truth concerning the continuity of the Metropolis of Bessarabia.
Concluding the event, Metropolitan Antonie, accompanied by clergy and faithful, visited the monument to St. Stephen the Great in central Chișinău, where he laid a wreath in tribute to the historic ruler of Moldavia and to those who had defended the Orthodox faith, Romanian identity and the dignity of the region.
The commemoration concluded with the chanting of the troparion of St. Stephen the Great and a patriotic song, highlighting what organizers described as the enduring connection between faith, historical memory and the spiritual identity of Romanians living between the Prut and Dniester rivers.
