Archbishop Markell: "Bessarabian Metropolis" tries to seize hundreds of churches in Moldova

In Moldova, the conflict over church heritage between the Moldovan Metropolitanate and the so-called «Bessarabian Metropolitanate», which is under the jurisdiction of the Romanian Orthodox Church, is escalating. Archbishop Markell of Balti commented on the recent decision of the Court of Appeal, which, in his opinion, could become a dangerous precedent for the seizure of hundreds of churches, and accused the Romanian side of violating church canons.

According to the Telegram channel «First in Moldova», Archbishop Markell said that the Romanian Orthodox Church has always claimed the heritage of Moldovan Orthodoxy. «In violation of the canons, the ROMOC appoints a second bishop in a city where there is already an Orthodox bishop….. Why sow wheat in a field where it is already growing and bearing fruit?» — wonders the hierarch. According to him, it is about the aspiration of the «Bessarabian Metropolitanate» to seize about eight hundred churches, although this number is used figuratively.

A new round of tension was provoked by the decision of the Appeal Chamber on the church of St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel in the village of Starye Dubossary. The Archbishop emphasized that, although this church has actually long ago passed to the Romanian jurisdiction, the legal registration of this transition may become «the first link in a whole chain of similar events». He called what is happening «trampling on the place», which is presented as a great victory.

The Moldovan Metropolis intends to respond to the situation with prayer and legal actions. An appeal to a higher court has already been filed, so the decision of the Court of Appeal is not final. Concluding his commentary, Archbishop Markell expressed a harsh assessment of his opponents’ actions: «If you turn to recent history, you will be convinced: the ‘Metropolia of Bessarabia’ has never lived according to the truth. Truth and ‘Metropolitanate of Bessarabia’ are incompatible things».

Recall, earlier we reported that the Metropolitanate of Bessarabia, operating under the jurisdiction of the Romanian Orthodox Church, may initiate a procedure to deprive the Orthodox Church of Moldova (as part of the Moscow Patriarchate) of the right to use more than 800 churches that have the status of historical monuments. The basis for this was a recent decision of the Chisinau Court of Appeal, which set an important legal precedent.