Moldova's largest Orthodox church—which remains under Moscow's authority—has stripped 11 priests of their powers after they switched to Romanian church jurisdiction in 2020 and weaponize a religious battle that mirrors Ukraine's struggle for ecclesiastical independence from Russia.
Romanian church challenges Moscow's religious foothold
Romania's Bessarabian Metropolis fired back at the priest expulsions, declaring that the "Moldovan Orthodox Church" name itself misleads believers. The Romanian church says the organization is simply "a local church structure of the Moscow Patriarchate" masquerading as Moldova's national church.
Before that, he Synod of the Orthodox Church of Moldova has stripped 11 more priests of their holy orders, after they transferred from the Archdiocese of Moldova to the Archdiocese of Bessarabia.
"The announced 'excommunications' have neither canonical nor legal force, since the mentioned priests together with their communities have not been under Moscow Patriarchate jurisdiction for many years," the Bessarabian Metropolis stated, calling the move an expression of "frustration at the return of more and more communities and priests to the Romanian Orthodox Church."
The Romanian church also accused some Moldovan church hierarchs of "direct and aggressive" interference in Moldova's electoral processes.
"After the direct and aggressive involvement of some hierarchs and clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate in the country's electoral and political processes—actions publicly condemned by civil society, the press, competent authorities, and also by the Bessarabian Metropolis—today's statement 'firmly condemns' the Church's involvement in politics," stated Besarabian Metropoly in Chișinău.
Despite the Moldovan church denying all accusations, this October, Moldovan police registered six cases of church representatives interfering in electoral campaigns on behalf of pro-Russian political parties.
Moscow-linked church denies Russian control
The Moldovan Orthodox Church called allegations from the Romanian church's Bessarabian Metropolis "unfriendly and dangerous."
In a synod statement, church officials insisted they represent "all people living in the Republic of Moldova," regardless of nationality, and claimed to be "free and independent in its governance."
Drawing parallels to Ukraine, where the Russian-linked church faces a ban because of security concerns, the Moldovan church labeled Romania's accusations as an attempt at "division," pointing to "similar experience in a neighboring country"—an apparent reference to Ukraine—where attempts to restrict the Moscow-linked church led to "failures and deep social upheaval."
"The Republic of Moldova should not repeat others' mistakes, but the time has come to maintain balance and wisdom for the common good of our people," the church statement declared.
In fact, the church dispute in Moldova follows a pattern familiar from Ukraine, where the Moscow Patriarchate used religious institutions as tools of political influence for years. Ukraine's own Orthodox Church declared independence from Moscow in 2022, shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion, though the split remains contentious.
Despite all denials, Moldovan media reports that the Moldovan Orthodox Church remains structurally part of the Russian Orthodox Church, with its center in Moscow, and effectively subordinate to Patriarch Kirill.
