Moldovan religious scholar rebukes Romanian Patriarchate for brazen expansion into foreign canonical territory
In countries controlled by the West, any actions by the authorities against the Church – whether in Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, or our Moldova – are in one way or another integrated into a single strategy, coordinated from Washington, to “split” the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), whose canonical responsibility remains for the Orthodox believers of all these countries.
Moldovan political scientist and religious scholar Victor Zhosu spoke about this in an interview with the portal traditia.md.
"In the "hybrid war" with Russia, the West has opened a separate "front" against the Moscow Patriarchate. By insisting on a complete break with the ROC of local Churches, it is either deepening the schisms that have arisen previously or provoking new ones. Therefore, if a corresponding command comes from overseas, then regardless of the desire or unwillingness of Maia Sandu, the pressure on the Orthodox Church of Moldova (OCM) will increase," the expert says.
According to him, the current authorities in the border states—in Ukraine, the Baltic states, and Moldova—" represent a bizarre mixture of liberal democratic ideals, distorted by the 'new ethics,' transhumanism, and so on, with abject nationalism and Russophobia ." One manifestation of this mixture is ignorance, which, among other things, gives rise to legislative distortions in a wide range of social spheres.
"We have the example of Ukraine, where the recent adoption of the law banning the UOC has not changed anything in practice in the real situation of Ukrainian bishops, priests, and Orthodox believers. The authorities persecuted them before its adoption - they took away churches by force, beat them, tried and imprisoned clergy and Orthodox journalists - they will continue to do so in the future, but on supposedly "legal" grounds. If we assume that the authorities in Moldova will decide on the same stupidity, then our Orthodox people will not stop believing. Will they start taking away churches? People will gather for services at home, in temporary premises, somewhere else," the expert believes.
According to him, the restoration of peace within an Orthodox family is possible only within the framework of the canonical field.
"The Romanian Patriarchate must stop expanding into foreign canonical territory, abandon its arrogant, openly dismissive attitude towards the Orthodox Church of Moldova. And the former priests who deviated into schism (most were defrocked, only a few who left last year are still banned from serving) must repent of committing the sin of schism and return to the bosom of the Church, to whose allegiance they once swore an oath. Where they are always ready to be received with joy," concludes Victor Josu.