According to the head of Moldova’s largest Orthodox Church, his ranks are under attack in the lead up to Christmas, which is celebrated on two separate days by rival churches in the former Soviet state. More than 90% of Moldova’s residents are Orthodox Christians and the country lies between Ukraine and Romania.
Moldova’s government is seeking European Union membership. Metropolitan Vladimir of the larger Russia-linked church complained that the media, “bolstered by political support,” was spreading division in the church in a weekend interview.
The Moldova Metropolis, which is subordinated to the Russian Orthodox Church, reaffirmed its allegiance to the Russian Orthodox Church last month, despite concerns over its support for the war in Ukraine. It celebrates Christmas on Jan. 7, but it is being challenged by the Metropolis of Bessarabia, which reports to the Romanian church and has welcomed over 60 priests who have left the rival church in recent months.
The Metropolis of Bessarabia, which celebrates Christmas on Dec. 25, is seen as a key element of the government’s push to align with the European mainstream. Metropolitan Vladimir of the Moldova Metropolis said in the interview that the media was desecrating the image of the Moldovan church with political support, and priests leaving one church for another were “devoid of all insight and faith (and) facilitating the destruction of the unity of the Church of Christ.”
Both Dec. 25 and Jan. 7 have been declared public holidays in Moldova. Even though the Russian-linked church has a larger following, more and more Moldovans are switching to celebrating Christmas on Dec. 25. Ukraine’s largest Orthodox Church switched its festivities to Dec. 25 earlier this year and the date was made a public holiday. Russia and its Orthodox Church stick to the old calendar marking Christmas on Jan. 7.
Moldova’s president, Mala Sandu, has tried to stay out of the debate over the two churches and their parishioners. She said she would celebrate on Dec. 25 with her immediate family in Chisinau and again on Jan. 7 in her native village near the Romanian border.
Reporting by Alexander Tanas; Writing by Ronald Popeski; Editing by Leslie Adler
