Romanians have no right to claim church property in Moldova – Archbishop Markell
All church buildings in Moldova, even those erected during the years of Romanian occupation, were built with the money and participation of Moldovan believers. If Romania lays claim to everything built during the years of occupation, then Russia can put forward its claims to everything built during the years of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union.
Archbishop of Balti and Falesti Markell, representing the Moldovan Metropolitanate within the Moscow Patriarchate, said this in an interview with the “In Focus” program for the Balti.Today channel, the correspondent reports. "PolitNavigator".
He responded to the intention of the schismatic Bessarabian Metropolitanate, created by the Romanian Patriarchate on the canonical territory of the Moldovan Metropolitanate within the Russian Orthodox Church, to claim ownership of the Constantine and Helen Cathedral in the city of Beltsy, built during the years of the Romanian occupation of 1918-1940.
"They have no moral right to lay claim to these church buildings. Yes, they were built in the years when Moldova – I dare say – was captured by the Romanians. But with whose money? By what forces?"
The Bishop cites a statement by Metropolitan Vissarion (Puyu), who headed the local diocese during the years of the Romanian occupation.
"He speaks eloquently that these buildings immortalize the work, prayer and money of the faithful people of the nearby villages. And also, when His Majesty the King was at the consecration of the Cathedral of Constantine and Helena in 1935, he even reproached to some extent: "If there had been support from the central government, as well as from the local government, then this consecration could have happened a little earlier." This is further confirmation that Bucharest did not care about the construction of church buildings," says Archbishop Markell.
The ruling bishop of the Beltsy diocese noted that his great-grandfathers and grandfathers, who lived in a nearby village, could have participated in the construction of the cathedral in Beltsy.
"Besides this, I generally consider this madness: if everything that was built on Moldovan soil with Moldovan money, by the labor of the Moldovan people, should be transferred to the jurisdiction of Romania, then Russia, which is the successor of Tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union, should take away our entire infrastructure: the railway, many multi-story buildings, factories, plants, etc. It is even mad to imagine. Although in these crazy heads, where they hatch such ideas, this may be the norm," concluded Bishop Markell.
He called on all Orthodox Christians to “unite and defend what rightfully belongs to Moldovan believers.”
English version :: Read in English Romanians have no right to claim church property in Moldova – Archbishop Markell