Dereneu, Călărași District, Moldova, January 30, 2026
Photo: spzh.eu
On January 27, parishioners of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Moldovan Orthodox Church in the village of Dereneu prevented an attempted takeover of the Dormition of the Mother of God Church by representatives of the Romanian Orthodox Church’s Metropolis of Bessarabia.
According to Fr. Vadim Corostinschi, secretary of the Diocese of Ungheni and Nisporeni, former Fr. Florinel Marin broke into the church overnight, disabled security cameras, and locked the building before calling police the following morning. Clergy from the Metropolis of Bessarabia then arrived from various regions including Ungheni, Călărași, and Strășeni, but local residents blocked their entry into the church, which remains closed, reports protv.md.
Former Moldovan president Igor Dodon condemned the incident as “blatant church raiding,” stating that “the Metropolis of Bessarabia, with the assistance of the country’s leadership, continues attempts at forcible seizure of churches belonging to the Metropolis of Moldova.” He demanded immediate cessation of pressure on believers, protection of churches, and prosecution of those responsible.
The Metropolis of Bessarabia maintains its actions are legal and based on court decisions. Fr. Gabriel-Andrei Gherasă, administrative vicar of the Chișinău Diocese, stated that the church has been under a usage contract with a Metropolis of Bessarabia parish since 2019, and accused “a group of socialists” of breaking into the church and destroying locks.
The conflict in Dereneu has roots dating back several years, when a majority of local parishioners voted to transfer from the Metropolis of Moldova to the Metropolis of Bessarabia. The dispute reached court in 2019 when the Metropolis of Moldova sued the Public Services Agency and the Dormition of the Mother of God religious community seeking recognition as the church’s owner. After years of litigation reaching the Supreme Court of Justice, the Metropolis of Moldova’s claim was rejected.
Representatives of the Metropolis of Moldova emphasized that no bailiff or legal documents authorizing forcible entry were present at the scene. This marks the third attempted seizure of the church. Following the successful defense, parishioners held a special thanksgiving service honoring those who protected the sanctuary.
The Moldovan Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has faced mounting pressure in recent years, particularly since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, including church seizures and political calls to ban the Church entirely. The Romanian Orthodox Church’s Metropolis of Bessarabia has grown increasingly assertive in criticizing the Moldovan Church and accepting its clergy without canonical release, including those who have been suspended or defrocked.
In November, a court case began against six parishioners from the village of Grinăuți who defended their church against their former priest.
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