The Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia condemns the violent way in which the so-called Metropolitan Church of Chisinau and all Moldova (Moscow Patriarchate) interferes in the life of local communities. According to a statement issued by Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia, a group of Christians faithful to the Moscow Patriarchate, supported by the Bishopric of Ungheni and Nisporeni, on March 5 abusively occupied the Church “Assumption of the Mother of God” in Dereneu, Calarasi, because this joined the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia last August.
In a news conference at IPN, secretary of the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia, priest Ion Cosoi said the Church “Assumption of the Mother of God” joined the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Moldova. The religious communities’ right to decide freely their canonic jurisdiction is guaranteed by the national laws. “The Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia also ascertains that the consent given by the Metropolitan Bishop Vladimir to the abusive capture of a church of the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia is totally at variance with the publicly stated wish to establish a constructive dialogue with the historical Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia,” stated Ion Cosoi.
According to Florin Marin, bishop in Dereneu village, an organized group tried to capture the church on March 4, but was hampered by parishioners. But those persons returned the next day in a larger number and damaged both of the doors, entering arbitrarily the church. “This is outrageous as the people during Lent should be kinder. Those deeds pieced to the heart the parishioners and those who have served there for many years,” said Florin Marin. He also said that the decision to join the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia was taken as a result of consultations with active Christians and in accordance with the law and the reason was that they found more morality and understanding at the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia.
The priest said that when the police officers came to the scene, they interrogated the involved persons. The priests are ready to withdraw their complaint from the police if those who abusively occupied the church leave.
Priest Valeriu Enache, of the Bishopric of Calarasi, said the Bishopric is a legal entity registered by the Ministry of Justice and this demands that the church should be freed so that services could be held there and the people could take communion. The priest called on the central authorities to suspend the activity of the Bishopric of Ungheni and Nisporeni because this organized the vandalizing of a church and incited hatred.
The priests called upon the international organizations to monitor the abuses committed against the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia by the so-called Metropolitan Church of Chisinau and all Moldova and to intervene promptly to bring the injustice to an end.
