Patriarchate of Romania Stood Up in Defense of Priests Who Chose the Metropolis of Bessarabia

The Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church has spoken in defense of the clergy and faithful who are leaving the Metropolis of Moldova, subordinate to the Russian Patriarchate, and moving to the Metropolis of Bessarabia. According to the decision of the Holy Synod, “any disciplinary penalty directed against them shall be considered null and void.” “We reaffirm the fact that all Romanian Orthodox clergy and their pastors from the Republic of Moldova who transfer to the Metropolis of Bessarabia are canonical clergy and blessed believers, and any disciplinary sanctions directed against them on the grounds of their belonging to the Romanian Orthodox Church are null and void according to Synodal Decision no. 8090 of 19 December 1992,” the Synod’s decision reads. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, dozens of priests from the Republic of Moldova have transferred from the Metropolis of Moldova to the Metropolis of Bessarabia. The main reason they gave was that the Moscow Patriarchate supports the war waged by Russia in Ukraine. The latest such decision was made last week. The priests and parishioners of the Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God in the village of Stolniceni in Hincesti district decided to leave the canonical subordination of the Russian Patriarchate and come under the patronage of the Romanian Patriarchate.