Moldovan priests leave ROC en masse and call on others to "get out of slavery": details

Moldovan priests are leaving the Chisinau Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church en masse. The exodus from the Russian church structure began against the backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and gained momentum after Metropolitan Vladimir of Chisinau stated that Moldovans would return to the bosom of the Romanian Church in a letter to Kirill Gundyaev.

The founder and vice-rector of the Theological Academy in Chisinau, Vetceslav Cazacu, recently left the Moldovan Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church and joined the Romanian Orthodox Church. He said this in an interview with TV8.

"I moved to the Bessarabian Metropolis together with all my parishioners and the parish in Stresa," Vetceslav Cazacu said.

Vetceslav Cazacu is a native of Ukraine (Romanian from Chernivtsi). Until now, he has been one of the most prominent theologians of the Moldovan Metropolitan Church (MP). Cazacu is the founder of the Orthodox Higher Seminary and Theological Academy. Although Metropolitan Vladimir is officially the rector of the educational institution, it is actually headed by Vetceslav Cazacu, who has now left the structure, which is canonically subordinated to Moscow. The father said that he could no longer remain in the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Bessarabian Metropolitanate confirmed that the Romanian Church had taken Vetceslav Cazacu under its care, stating that such processes are currently underway.

This is not the only transfer of priest Vetceslav Cazacu. Earlier, priests like Theodore Pelina, Vasily Enaki, John Gangana and John Solonara left ROC as well.

The Bessarabian Metropolitanate of the Romanian Orthodox Church called on all ROC priests in Moldova to transfer to their diocese. Archbishop Markel of Balti and Falesti (ROC in Moldova) is also demanded to vacate the residence of the bishops and the Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen in Balti.

"We encourage all those who feel oppressed by the Russian dioceses to have the courage to get out of this slavery and return to the tradition and communion with the Romanian Orthodox Church. They will find peace and joy of the Romanian spirit in the Bessarabian Metropolis, which they are deprived of, and love for fraternal communion with people who profess the same faith and the same martyrdom," the official communique on the website of the Romanian Church reads.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, the SSU served a notice of suspicion to Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church. He is a member of the inner circle of the highest military and political leadership of the aggressor country, Russia, and also uses the religious communities of the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia and representatives of the UOC-MP in Ukraine under his control. Gundyaev supported the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and "blessed" the occupiers to kill Ukrainians.

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