Inside Moldova’s Orthodox power struggle: Chisinau vs. Bessarabia

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A 2014 opinion poll revealed that 96.8% of Moldova’s population identifies as Orthodox Christian. Moldova’s State Constitution guarantees and protects religious freedom, ensuring freedom of conscience while promoting tolerance and mutual respect. Article 31 specifies that religious communities are free to organise under their own statutes, with any expressions of enmity strictly prohibited. 

Moldova has two Metropolises, or administrative bodies of the Orthodox Church, each headed by a metropolitan, having jurisdiction over the territory of the Republic of Moldova, the districts in the east of the Republic of Moldova and partially over some communities outside the borders. These two Metropolises include almost all Orthodox Christians in the Republic of Moldova. 
 
The Metropolis of Chisinau and All Moldova operates under the Russian Patriarchate, while the Metropolis of Bessarabia is under the Romanian Patriarchate. Though these institutions appear to coexist within the legal framework, tensions persist, often described as an ongoing dispute. 

The dimensions of the conflict 

The dispute between the Orthodox Metropolises in Moldova is multifaceted, involving historical, religious, political, territorial, and national issues.  

In the past two years, an additional layer has emerged: the defection of clergy from the Metropolis of Chisinau and All Moldova to the Metropolis of Bessarabia, spurred by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Clergy aligning with the Metropolis of Bessarabia cite Patriarch Kirill of Russia’s support for the Putin regime and his implicit endorsement of the war and associated atrocities as reasons for their shift, stating they refuse to remain in a church that ‘blesses’ conflict.  
 
Meanwhile, the Metropolis of Moldova argues that these ‘defecting’ priests are motivated by the material advantages offered by the Romanian Patriarchate, including monthly salaries funded by the Romanian state. By contrast, priests of the Metropolis of Moldova rely solely on income from their parishes and often pay taxes to the Metropolis. 

Russian invasion 

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia stated in recent interviews with US-funded Radio Free Europe and the national channel Moldova 1 that nearly 200 parishes have left the Metropolis of Moldova to join the Metropolis of Bessarabia. 

The Metropolis of Bessarabia includes the Diocese of Balti, which covers northern Moldova, and the Diocese of South Bessarabia, which oversees southern Moldova and parts of historical Bessarabia now in Ukraine.  
 
Bessarabia leaders believe the number of parishes joining their ranks will continue to rise, pointing out that Moldova’s population—over 82% of whom are ethnic Romanians—supports their cause. Many Moldovans have regained Romanian citizenship, making Moscow’s claim to jurisdiction in the region "is without foundation.” 

Metropolitan Petru explained that while there were many obstacles to the transition of parishes from Moldova’s Metropolis, these have eased over time. However, a significant number of the priests who joined Bessarabia’s Metropolis were excommunicated by the Metropolis of Moldova for breaking their vows, claiming they left "voluntarily, without canonical grounds, and outside the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church of Moldova." 

The Metropolis of Chisinau and All Moldova comprises 11 administrative units, including seven dioceses and four vicariates. In September 2023, Metropolitan Vladimir of Moldova sent a letter to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, expressing concerns about the future of Moldova’s Metropolis within the Russian Orthodox Church. Given the Russian Orthodox Church’s association with the aggressor in the war, and Moldova’s strong anti-war stance, the Metropolis of Moldova’s connection to Moscow has become increasingly problematic, while Bessarabia’s Metropolis enjoys stronger support. 

Russian journalist and religious scholar Serghei Cheapnin described the letter as an attempt to alert Patriarch Kirill to the situation in Moldova, “in order to find a solution together or to warn him that things have gotten out of control and are in disfavor of the Metropolis of Moldova”. According to Cheapnin, a response from Moscow was received, though it’s unlikely to be made public and may be more of a formal bureaucratic gesture, with Kirill unwilling to offer a definitive stance. The Metropolis of Moldova confirmed the receipt of a response but declined to comment further. 
 
The dispute between the two Metropolises, which has intensified over the past two years, is further fuelled by sporadic communiqués from both sides, accusing each other of various wrongdoings. 

A war of statements between the Metropolises 

On March 11, 2024, the Metropolis of Moldova published a legal analysis on its official website, titled The Metropolis of Chisinau and All of Moldova is the legal successor of all existing forms of Orthodox church organisation in the history and space of the current Republic of Moldova.  
 
This analysis, released by the Press Office of the Diocese of Ungheni and Nisporeni, argues that the Metropolis of Chisinau is the "canonical Orthodox Church of Moldova" and “the real successor by law of all forms of church organization existing in history in the space of the current Republic of Moldova, and not the parallel structure created in 1992”. 

The Metropolis of Bessarabia is accused of ethnophiletism, a heretical concept in Orthodox Christianity that links the church to national or ethnic identity rather than ecclesiastical criteria. Ethnophiletism was condemned as heresy at the 1872 council in Constantinople, which labelled it “philelist (religious) nationalism". The Metropolis of Moldova’s statement asserts that ethnophiletism places national identity above the broader spiritual mission of the Church. 

In response, the Metropolis of Bessarabia accused the Metropolis of Chisinau of being a "church occupation structure" under the Moscow Patriarchate. Bessarabia leaders claim that Moldova's Metropolis continues to mislead the public by distorting the Church’s history and misrepresenting canonical law. They further reject the idea that they are "corrupting" Moldova’s clergy, accusing their rivals of violating Orthodox Canon Law. 

Regarding the charge of ethnophiletism, the Metropolis of Bessarabia denounces this as a reflection of "imperial reflexes, fear for the loss of the power of influence in society, opacity to the truth, inadequacy to the social processes of de-Sovietization and inability to constructive dialogue in the interests of Orthodoxy”. They argue that the Metropolis of Moldova, operating in Moldova since the annexation of Bessarabia by Russia, is a non-canonical structure within the Republic of Moldova. 

In mid-November 2023, a group of priests and believers from the Archdiocese of Chisinau (Metropolis of Moldova) sent a letter to Metropolitan Vladimir of Chisinau, requesting that Moldova’s Metropolis join the Romanian Patriarchate.  
 
Their letter stated that “now more than ever is the right time to right the wrongs of history” and to “restore the dignity stolen by the Russian occupation.” However, the Metropolis of Bessarabia rejected this initiative, criticising priest Pavel Borsevschi and the Chisinau priests for neglecting Bessarabia and insisting that the Romanian Patriarchate could not be reached without fully aligning with Bessarabia. 
 
Historical roots of Moldova's ecclesiastical divide 

The division between the Orthodox Churches of Moldova can be traced back to the early 19th century, when the Peace of Bucharest in 1812 resulted in the Russian occupation of half of Moldova, the region between the Prut and Dniester rivers, later known as Bessarabia. At the time, Orthodox Christians in this newly acquired territory remained outside any formal church organisation. 

In response, Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni, a Romanian-born leader, reached out to the Russian military commander, Admiral P.V. Ciciagov, with a proposal to create a new diocese for the region. This initiative gained approval from Tsar Alexander I on August 21, 1813, establishing the Diocese of Chisinau and Hotin, which included not only Bessarabia but also parts of what is now Ukraine. By 1917, the Local Synod in Moscow elevated the Archbishop of Chisinau to Metropolitan status. 

Following Bessarabia’s union with Romania in 1918, the region’s church was granted full autonomy by Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow. The church was integrated into the Romanian Orthodox Church and officially became an archdiocese in 1923. But after the Soviet occupation of Bessarabia in 1940, the region's church was brought back under Moscow's control. This transition marked the beginning of a turbulent period for the Orthodox Church in Moldova. 

In 1989, the Russian Orthodox Church appointed Vladimir Cantarean to lead the Diocese of Chisinau, and he continues to oversee the Metropolis of Chisinau and Moldova. Despite being under the canonical authority of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Metropolis of Moldova has maintained internal autonomy, defined by the church’s own statutes and the provisions of the Russian Orthodox Church's governance. 

After Moldova declared independence in 1991, the Metropolis of Bessarabia, which had been dormant since 1944, was reactivated in 1992. The Romanian Orthodox Church recognized it as autonomous but was not immediately acknowledged by Moldova’s government, which continued to support the Metropolis of Chisinau. In 2000, the authorities’ refusal to recognize the Metropolis of Bessarabia was challenged before the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled in 2001 that Moldova’s actions violated the right to religious freedom. Finally, in 2002, Moldova officially recognised the Metropolis of Bessarabia. 

This historical backdrop sets the stage for the ongoing conflict between Moldova’s two Orthodox Metropolises, rooted in both ecclesiastical jurisdiction and national identity. 

Conflict and religious crisis in Moldova today 

The ongoing conflict between the two Metropolises in Moldova continues to centre around the issue of church succession, with both sides asserting their right to control the ecclesiastical heritage.  

The Metropolis of Moldova accuses the Metropolis of Bessarabia of being “schismatic” and “non-canonical,” claiming it is led by a defrocked hierarch who has no right to officiate sacraments or ordain priests. On the other hand, the Metropolis of Bessarabia counters that the “Orthodox Church of Moldova” is a “non-canonical” structure, under the influence of Moscow, and operates through coercion and the abuse of power. The Bessarabian Church argues that the Metropolis of Moldova uses threats and sanctions to suppress clergy members who wish to break away from Moscow's jurisdiction and join the Romanian Orthodox Church through the Metropolis of Bessarabia. 

While the Metropolis of Moldova warns that any priests who voluntarily join the Metropolis of Bessarabia will be defrocked, the Metropolis of Bessarabia states that it welcomes all Romanian clergy who leave the Russian Patriarchate’s jurisdiction. This stance is based on a number of Orthodox canons that allow clergy to separate from what they view as an abusive and corrupt hierarchy, one that they accuse of promoting the “heresy of war and murder” in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Currently, there is no liturgical communion between the two Metropolises. Despite the accusations of canon violations on both sides, the two Metropolitans and their clergy do not serve together in liturgy. However, it’s important to note that the Patriarchs of both the Romanian and Russian Orthodox Churches, to which the two Metropolises are aligned, are still in full liturgical communion with each other. 

Conclusions: Pathways to resolution and coexistence 

The conflict between the Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova and the Metropolis of Bessarabia is not just a religious dispute—it’s a complex mix of historical, political, and cultural factors deeply intertwined with Moldova's current situation. At its core, the conflict revolves around canonical authority, national identity, and geopolitical alignments, especially amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

The Metropolis of Chișinău faces criticism for its ties to the Moscow Patriarchate, which has impacted its standing, particularly as Moldova seeks closer ties with Europe. Conversely, the Metropolis of Bessarabia, aligned with the Romanian Patriarchate, positions itself as a symbol of Romanian identity and nationalism, attracting those eager to distance themselves from Russian influence. 

The situation has intensified with the migration of parishes and priests between the two Metropolises, adding layers of tension and mutual accusations. The legal and social consequences of the dispute underline the urgent need for dialogue to bridge these divides. 

Ultimately, resolving this conflict requires both a canonical solution and a deep understanding of Moldova’s unique historical and cultural landscape. Only through respectful dialogue and tolerance can the two Metropolises move toward reconciliation, fostering unity and coexistence within the Orthodox community in Moldova.