More than 60 parishes have left the Metropolis of Moldova, under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Moscow, to join the Metropolis of Bessarabia, which belongs to the Romanian Orthodox Church. This shift reflects growing tensions and a desire for alignment with the Romanian Mother Church amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Romanian media report that in Cricova, Moldova, parishioners recently celebrated their return to the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Christian community in Cricova marked the inclusion of their parish in the Metropolis of Bessarabia at the Church of “Saint Alexander Svir” with a special service attended by Metropolitan Peter of Bessarabia.
Father Andrei Percic, the priest of the temple, stated, “We feel Romanian. Since the war in Ukraine began, we realized that something was wrong in the church where we all served. God does not love war.” Similarly, Fr. Igor Chelea, priest of the Church of “Saint John the Theologian” in Roskani, shared, “We convened an ecclesiastical council and informed the village about our decision. Everything was done legally. The Metropolis of Bessarabia welcomed us with brotherly love.”
In response, the Metropolis of Moldova announced that it would prohibit these priests from performing religious services, a decision disputed by the Metropolis of Bessarabia. Metropolitan Petros of Bessarabia declared, “Any sanctions that the Russian Church will impose on the clergy of the Metropolis of Bessarabia are invalid. The Russian Church is not recognized here in Bessarabia. We are Romanians, all of us, and we must belong to our nation’s church.”
The Metropolis of Bessarabia now comprises over 200 parishes. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, more than 60 priests have left the Metropolis of Moldova, signifying a significant realignment within the Orthodox community in the region.
