Chișinău, Moldova, May 10, 2018
Photo: blogspot.com His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir of Chișinău and All Moldova has called upon the Chișinău government to ban an LGBT march planned for May 19, reports Interfax-Religion.
“This minority parade launches an offensive challenge at the societal values of the majority of our society, which is made up of 98% Orthodox Christians—the preservers of the teachings of the holy Gospel, according to which marriage is only between a man and a woman—not between people of the same sex,” the metropolitan’s letter reads, published in Romanian on the Moldovan Church’s site.
The head of the Moldovan Church called upon the capital city’s municipal authorities to stop the organization of the “Fără Frică” (“Without Fear”) March within the framework of the 12th LGBT festival “Moldova Pride 2018,” which is scheduled for Saturday, May 19. Met. Vladimir writes that he considers such events to be “attacks on morality, the sacred institution of the family, and a threat for the younger generation.
“The organizers of the parade and their foreign mentors should already know the local reality from past experience, as such events bring the danger of violence and clashes on both sides,” the metropolitan warns.
Orthodox faithful successfully blocked last year’s parade, causing the march to come to an early end. Thankfully, police were able to prevent any violent altercations.
President Igor Dodon had earlier rejected Amnesty International’s personal invitation to him to join the march, and spoke out against it during the time of the march, saying, “I am expressing my categorical position against holding an LGBT march. I informed the extraordinary and plenipotentiary U.S. ambassador to Moldova James Pettit that it is not only my personal position, but the position of the vast majority of Moldovan citizens. I very clearly stressed that such actions contradict our traditional values, Orthodox faith, and morals. They cannot be, and will be accepted neither by me personally nor by society as a whole.”
Metropolitan Vladimir ended his appeal to the Chișinău authorities with a heartfelt question: “With much sorrow and concern, we ask whether the protection of the ‘private rights’ of this minority can be achieved by humiliating and stamping upon the moral feelings of the vast majority of our Orthodox citizens?”
Meanwhile, the Church has blessed a march in support of traditional families to be held this coming Saturday.
Follow us on Facebook!
