Bessarabian Metropolitan Church priests not allowed to bid farewell to Mihai Dolgan

Thousands of admirers of Mihai Dolgan could be deprived of the possibility of attending the funeral of the Artist if the priests of the Bessarabian Metropolitan Church had not given in to central authorities’ requests not to be around the National Palace during the ceremony. Ioan Ciuntu, senior priest at “Sfanta Teodora de la Sihla” Church, has told Info-Prim Neo that the priests of the Bessarabian Metropolitan Church were warned by the organizers of the funeral not to be in the National Palace when the administration of the state will come to say goodbye, making reference to a warning issued by the authorities. Otherwise, the coffin would not be laid in the Palace, the family would have problems and the senior authorities would not come. “Mihai Dolgan and his family were attached to our church. They always attended the services, came to confess and to take part in the Eucharist. Before departing this life, the artist asked that priest Ciuntu officiate at the funeral and that his body is brought at “Sfanta Teodora de la Sihla” Church,” the vicar said. Ioan Ciuntu said that he unwillingly accepted not to go to the funeral in the National Palace so as not to “annoy” the country’s administration with his presence. Priest Ciuntu also said that the synod agreed that priest Valeriu Bazatin from the Moldovan Metropolitan Church will officiate at the funeral of Mihai Dolgan. “If it wasn’t a matter of politics, the two Churches could come to a compromise. A lot is talked about faith, the sacred places are restored, but they do not want peace and do not follow God’s word,” the priest said. On March 19, the coffin of Mihai Dolgan was taken out of the National Palace under the sound of thousands of applauses. Afterwards, the priests of the Bessarabian Metropolitan Church joined the procession.