Vladimir, the Metropolitan Bishop of Chisinau and All Moldova, and the Synod of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, wrote to Daniel, the Patriarch of All Romania, to complain about priests crossing the aisle from the Church of Moldova to the Church of Bessarabia.

“It is with sorrow that we witness how, under the of Synodal Decision 8.090 of 19 December 1992, clerics suspended or chastised for serious moral misconduct and incompatibility with priestly duty are being welcomed as ministers of the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia”, the letter reads.

The letter in particular denounces supposed “influence of clergy and parishioners alike with the use of material gains or exploitation of national identity”.

“We look with great concern at how, to the delight of politicians, the division between brethren is once again weaponized for electoral purposes, while the souls of believers are being lost in the nets of sects. It is painful to see how material gains bring out in some servants of the Church a sort of opportunistic patriotism, and the offered salary influences the perception of nationality, a salary that even some of our priests receive without even having formally crossed to the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia”.

The letter appeals to Patriarch Daniel’s “wisdom and discernment”. “One ought, Your Beatitude, to look wisely at the detrimental situation that is being created, a situation about which we are open to dialogue and cooperation”, declared Vladimir, adding that he wants to “live in love and peace with the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia”.

The Metropolis of Bessarabia, canonically subordinate to the Romanian Patriarchate, declared on multiple occasions that it is ready to welcome any priests who wish to join it, denying accusations that it is using Romanian government funding to corrupt such priests.