Chișinău, April 19, 2025

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Moldovan authorities blocked a hierarch of the Moldovan Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate from flying to Jerusalem to retrieve the Holy Fire.

“I still don’t understand why I wasn’t released to Israel,” His Eminence Archbishop Marchel of Bălți and Fălești told First in Moldova News.

The hierarch was pulled aside for an “inspection” at the Chișinău Airport on Holy Thursday and was held without his passport until after his flight had already departed. He was never given any explanation for why he wasn’t permitted to travel.

Meanwhile, the delegation from the Romanian Orthodox Church’s Metropolis of Bessarabia was permitted to fly to Israel to witness and bring back the Holy Fire.

For three decades, there have been two overlapping jurisdictions in Moldova: the Moscow Patriarchate’s Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova and the Romanian Orthodox Church’s Metropolis of Bessarabia, which have essentially tolerated each other since the latter was reestablished in 1991 by a bishop formerly of the Russian Church’s structure. However, relations have severely deteriorated since the start of the war in Ukraine. A number of clerics and parishes have moved from the Moscow to the Romanian side, but as these transitions were made without a canonical release, a number of the clerics have been defrocked. However, the Metropolis of Bessarabia has declared these canonical sanctions null and void, and Romanian Synod establishes “Romanian Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” Ukrainian hierarch respondsA number of important decisions were made during the session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church held in Bucharest on February 29.

“>on February 29, the Holy Synod of the entire Romanian Orthodox Church took the same position.

The hierarchs and faithful of the Moldovan Orthodox Church have felt increasingly Moldovan Orthodox Church: “Cease the moral torture of the Church”“The Church feels pressures similar to those from the Soviet period. More and more threats are being thrown at the Church and its servants,” writes His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir of Chișinău and All Moldova.

“>pressured by the state in the past few years.

His Eminence Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhye of the persecuted Ukrainian Orthodox Church expressed support for Abp. Marchel and the entire Moldovan Orthodox Church:

I learned with regret that Archbishop Marchel has encountered obstacles that will prevent him from witnessing the descent of the Holy Fire. I have repeatedly observed this miracle, truly a miracle, despite the fact that there are forces that cannot tolerate its radiance and invent various fables about its origin. Succumbing to their provocations, I too doubted, and the Lord personally revealed a miracle to me—the Fire hadn’t yet appeared in the Edicule, but on the second floor, my acquaintance’s candles lit up by themselves. Therefore, I, like no other, understand the feelings of Vladyka Marchel, and even more so his and all the Moldovan flock.

On this day, which every Orthodox Christian experiences with deep repentance and heartfelt contrition, I want to express my sincere support to the fullness of the Orthodox Church of Moldova. As it is said in the Gospel, If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also (Jn. 15:20). Don’t despair. On the contrary, it’s necessary to strengthen your hearts with faith, love and hope. Various forces may discriminate against the Church, trample on the fundamental rights of its clergy and parishioners, obstruct the trip to the Holy Land to deliver the Holy Fire to all faithful children of the Orthodox Church of Moldova. However, no one can deprive us of God’s mercy and support.

The Holy Fire is the harbinger of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, a visible sign of His love and care for us. Whoever rejects this gift rejects Divine grace. And instead of the Lord’s blessing, they bring upon themselves various troubles and disorders. For a truly believing soul, any trial is another step towards God. Through repentance, humility, and hope in the One who gave His life for the salvation of mankind from sin and eternal death.

Therefore, I dare to call on our Moldovan brothers and sisters to stand firm in the faith, hold fast to their Mother Church, and place all their worries in God’s hands. After all, as St. Theophan the Recluse very accurately said, “the Lord builds everything, and in the best way for us.” According to your faith, let it be to you. May the Merciful and long-suffering Lord send a particle of His Holy Fire into the heart of everyone who, despite everything, remains faithful to Him and their Mother Church!

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