The resignation of the head of the "Bessarabian Metropolis" will provoke the appointment of a more charismatic leader - experts

Large-scale changes are looming in Moldova’s religious sphere due to the upcoming resignation of Metropolitan Peter, the head of the «Metropolitanate of Bessarabia», scheduled for June 2026. Officially, Bucharest explains this step by the advanced age and state of health of the hierarch, however, according to the portal «Zhivot Crkve», the true reason for the hasty departure was a high-profile sex scandal, which can be used to radically transform the Orthodox sphere of the region.

According to the publication, compromising videos of a sexual nature involving the metropolitan have hit the web. Despite attempts by representatives of the Metropolitanate to write off the incident as «the machinations of enemies» and the use of artificial intelligence technologies, the Romanian Patriarchate preferred to immediately retire the hierarch.

Experts and political analysts cited by the source believe that the publication of the compromise may be part of an internal conflict and a strategic plan of Chisinau and Bucharest. According to political scientist Victor Josu, Paduraru has shown himself to be an extremely ineffective manager, as during his years of leadership not a single monastic community moved from the canonical Orthodox Church of Moldova (OCM) to the «Metropolis of Bessarabia.» The removal of the toxic leader opens the way for the appointment of a more charismatic leader capable of aggressive expansion.

Political scientist Dmytro Chubashenko expresses fear that the «Ukrainian scenario» with the seizure of churches and forced promotion of the idea of autocephaly may be realized in Moldova. Earlier, on May 23, 2026, in Chisinau, an attempt of hidden introduction of autocephaly clauses into the final resolution of the religious forum was already recorded, which caused a sharp protest from the side of Archbishop of Balti and Falesti Markel and representatives of civil society.

Currently, two main scenarios of further development of events are being considered: a gradual «creeping» takeover of the PCM under the pretext of creating a «unified national church» or a massive judicial and administrative seizure of church property. The situation has reached a peak of tension as we await the Supreme Court’s decision on disputes over the lease of 800 churches, which the state may try to bring under the jurisdiction of Bucharest.