Several priests who went on a “pilgrimage” to Russia yesterday decided to return home after a journalistic investigation revealed details about the trips allegedly organized by Ilan Shor and the Moscow Patriarchate. According to deschide.md’s sources, immediately after the group touched down in Moscow, they bought tickets to make the flight back.

At least six priests made the decision to return, all of them from Florești district. According to the sources, after the investigation was published on Monday, they were immediately contacted by family and acquaintances and asked to abandon the “pilgrimage”.

Reporters at deschide.md called the clerics this morning to ask them about the decision to return. Veaceslav Parasi, a rural priest from Florești, claimed the Shor group had nothing to do with his trip, which, he insisted, was organized by the Patriarchate alone. He added that he decided to return after being “slandered” by the investigation and his family felt hurt. 

“It was my decision and that’s it. No more comment, have a good day!” said Vitalie Scupoi, the parish priest of the Saint Nicholas Church in the city of Florești. 

“I don’t want to comment on anything - But did you know that the Shor group was behind the organization of these pilgrimages? - I didn’t know anything and I don’t know anything now either. Excuse me, I don’t want to comment”, said Iurie Medvețchi, another rural priest from Florești, when asked by a deschide.md reporter.

Among those who returned was also Oleg Brăileanu, parish priest in Vărvăreuca, Florești, sources said.

According to deschide.md, the six were part of al larger group of over 20 clerics who flew to Moscow Tuesday. The investigation alleged that during previous “pilgrimages”, the visitors were treated to fancy luncheons and met with high-ranking members of the Russian Orthodox Church. Before returning, they would receive MIR cards from the sanctioned Promsvyazbank, on which they were promised salaries and donations for church upkeep.