Chișinău, October 18, 2024
Photo: basilica.ro
His Eminence Metropolitan Petru, head of the Romanian Orthodox Church’s Metropolis of Bessarabia (Moldova), issued a statement yesterday on the upcoming presidential election on October 20.
The Metropolitan, addressing the citizens of Moldova, frames the vote as a pivotal moment for the country’s future trajectory.
Met. Petru makes several references to Romania and Europe as cultural and spiritual touchstones for Moldova, emphasizing the importance of “Romanian and European identity values.” The hierarchs writes of European integration as a natural extension of Moldova’s cultural and spiritual heritage. In addition to the vote for the next president, there will also be a referendum on whether Moldova should join the European Union.
The message emphasizes the importance of voting as both a civic duty and a Christian responsibility and encourages voters to consider their choices carefully, viewing their participation as a way to shape the country’s future and uphold Christian principles in society.
The address concludes with a call for prayer and unity.
As OrthoChristian reported yesterday, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir of Chișinău, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Moldovan Orthodox Church, also issued a statement about the elections, calling on the faithful to prayerfully vote according to their conscience.
Met. Petru’s statement reads in full:
Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, spiritual children of Bessarabia,
With archpastoral care and fatherly love, we address all citizens of the Republic of Moldova in these days of preparation for a crucial moment in the history of our people. On Sunday, October 20, 2024, we are called to exercise our right and duty as citizens to vote, in a double choice that will mark the trajectory of the country: the election of the President of the Republic of Moldova and the decision on a constitutional referendum. On this day, every vote counts, every awakened conscience has an important role in shaping the much-desired future.
Participation in the life of the city, in the construction of the society in which we live, is not only an act of civic responsibility, but also a fulfillment of our Christian calling to contribute to the common good. “Do everything in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14), the Apostle Paul urges us, and nothing should be done with carelessness or indifference. Just as God has endowed us with freedom, so He calls us to use it in the service of goodness, truth, peace, and justice.
Voting is an expression of love for our neighbor, family, nation, and Church. We are not voting just for ourselves, those of today, but for our children and grandchildren, for the generations to come, to whom we leave as inheritance both the values and the conditions in which they will live. A rightly organized country, governed by healthy Christian principles, is a foundation on which we can raise our families and preserve our faith, tradition, culture, and Romanian identity.
In current times, Romania and the European space are essential references for our trajectory, both from a cultural and spiritual point of view. Our belonging to the European space is more than a political or economic objective, but concerns the preservation and consolidation of our Romanian and European identity values.
Just as our Lord Jesus Christ urged us to be “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14), our vote can be an act of illumination and blessing for the future of the country. Let us not forget that our vote is not just a manifestation of a political option, but also a confession of faith in the power of the community to build a more just, more honest society, closer to spiritual values. Each vote cast is a stone laid at the foundation of a construction that will influence not only the present but also the future of generations to come. Let us make this foundation strong, solid, and blessed by God!
Each of us has a voice, and this voice can contribute to the transformation of society. Our calling, as authentic Christians, is to actively engage in the life of the city, not to be indifferent to the fate of our fellow humans and the future of the country. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21) – this is also our duty, to fulfill our civic duty and to engage in serving our neighbor.
Romania and Europe are watching us – not just as political partners, but also as brothers. Let us use this opportunity to reaffirm our unity of soul through which we share the same vision for the future.
Therefore, beloved faithful, on Sunday, October 20, we urge you to go to the polling stations, with a clear conscience that you have done what is within your power for the good of the country, for its peace and prosperity. Regardless of political options, what matters is that you participate, express your vote, and contribute to the common good.
Let us all pray to God for the enlightenment of our minds and the guidance of our steps, for the peace and unity of the country, for the prosperity of this blessed people!
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