The Russian Orthodox Church condemned the police attack on the Cross Procession in Chisinau

Vakhtang Kipshidze, deputy head of the Synodal Department of the Russian Orthodox Church for Church Relations with Society and the Media, criticized the actions of the Moldovan police against Orthodox believers in Chisinau who participated in a cross procession in defense of traditional values. At that time, Moldovan law enforcement officers beat believers who took to the streets of the Moldovan capital to protest against a gay pride parade taking place in the city. Kipshidze noted that “the gender ideology imposed on Moldovan society is destroying the spiritual heritage of the people.” He said this in a comment to the media.

“We strongly condemn the violence against clergymen of the Orthodox Church of Moldova who opposed the gay parade. Imposing gender ideology on Moldovan society, aimed at destroying the traditional family, is not a political but a moral issue. Both the church and other healthy social forces must unite against this anti-Christian project. We know that what began as the supposed protection of minority rights ended in Western countries with the adoption of children into same-sex families, the introduction of anti-family lies into school education, and, finally, gender reassignment by children. I hope that Moldovan believers will not allow this to happen in their homeland,” – said Kipshidze.

On June 15, 2025, in Chisinau, police attacked a religious procession held by local Orthodox Christians to protest against a gay pride parade taking place in the city on the same day. Moldovan law enforcement officers brutally dispersed the procession, beating believers.