Church of Moldova bans 4 clerics who defected to Romanian Patriarchate
The priests were banned from ministry "until full repentance before the hierarch and return to the clergy of the Orthodox Church of Moldova".
On 22 August 2023, the Primate of the Moldovan Orthodox Church Metropolitan Vladimir banned 4 priests from ministry, the official website of the Church of Moldova reports.
The decrees signed by Metropolitan Vladimir say that the priests are banned from ministry "in connection with the non-canonical withdrawal from the Chisinau Eparchy of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, disobedience to the highest church authorities, as well as for the violation of the oath given at ordination".
The priests in question are Archpriest Teodor Pelin, Archpriest Vasile Enachi, Archpriest Ioan Gangan and Archpriest Ioan Solonaru.
The priests were relieved of the rectorship in the churches where they had served before and deprived of their right to perform divine services "until they fully repent to the hierarchy and return to the clergy of the Orthodox Church of Moldova".
The final decision on the anti-canonical actions of the banned clerics will be made by the Synod of the Moldovan Orthodox Church.
The priests themselves claim that they, together with their parishioners, decided to leave the Moldovan Metropolis and join the Bessarabian Eparchy of the Romanian Patriarchate.
The reason for this decision, according to the priests, is allegedly that the Metropolis demands payment of "excessive fees" and that some clerics support Russia in the war with Ukraine.
Representatives of the Bessarabian Metropolis of the Romanian Patriarchate claim that the decrees issued by Metropolitan Vladimir are not valid. The reason is that the priests long ago moved to the Metropolis of Bessarabia together with their parishes.
As earlier reported, according to the head of the Moldovan Metropolis, relations with the authorities have significantly worsened.
