Moldova urges clergy to "tell the truth" about Ukraine war

By Alexander Tanas

CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova's government, a fierce critic of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, appealed to the country's clergy on Sunday to "tell the truth" about the war, saying that Moscow's military actions had destroyed some 500 places of worship.

Government spokesperson Daniel Voda's appeal, on the eve of the third anniversary of the Russian invasion, appeared linked to a split in Moldova's Orthodox Church into competing branches subordinate to Russia and Romania.

More than 90 percent of churchgoers in Moldova, which lies between Ukraine and Romania, adhere to the Orthodox Church.

The invasion, backed enthusiastically by Russia's Orthodox Church, has accelerated a move by parishes from Moldova's majority Moscow-linked Moldova Metropolis to the smaller Romania-linked church, the Metropolis of Bessarabia.

Since the invasion, still dubbed a "Special Military Operation" in Russia, more than 60 parishes have transferred their allegiance in the country of 2.5 million.

"From the beginning of the invasion, more than 500 churches, synagogues and mosques have been destroyed or damaged. That's one every two days," Voda said in his appeal.

"Do not remain silent. Tell the world the truth. The aggression is not just a fight for territory, it is the destruction of shrines."

Metropolitan Vladimir of the Moscow-linked Moldova Metropolis has made a point of saying his church denounced the invasion "from the very first day" and organised assistance for more than 90,000 Ukrainian refugees, the highest number per capita in Europe.

"At every service I say a special prayer in which I ask for mercy for the church and pray for an end to the war in Ukraine," Vladimir said in a 2023 interview.

"I am not afraid to call it the 'war in Ukraine' in the prayer. I do not pray for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin."

Media reports have spoken of priests from the Russia-linked church backing the Russian invasion in some parishes. Reuters could not independently verify these reports. And the church acknowledges that groups of priests last year made "pilgrimages" to holy sites in Russia, with Russian financing.

The split in church ranks reflects Moldova's turbulent history, with most of its current territory having belonged at various times in the past to the Russian Empire or the Soviet Union and "Greater Romania."

The Romania-linked Metropolis of Bessarabia is increasingly linked to Moldova's drive to join the European Union by 2030.

(Reporting by Alexander Tanas, writing by Ron Popeski; editing by Diane Craft)