The four hierarchs of the Metropolis of Bessarabia met on Monday in Chișinău for a working session under the chairmanship of His Eminence Metropolitan Petru. The decisions made concern the celebration of the Centennial of the Metropolis of Bessarabia, theological education in the Republic of Moldova, canonizations, and ecclesiastical distinctions.
The Synod decided to organize a large-scale national anniversary event to highlight the contribution of the Metropolis of Bessarabia to preserving and affirming the unity of Orthodox faith, national consciousness, and Romanian ecclesiastical dignity in the area between the Prut and Dniester rivers.
During the meeting, the hierarchs approved the date for the solemn local proclamation of Romanian saints from Bessarabia, which the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church recently canonized.
The dates and schedule of the events will be announced at a later time.
Additionally, the metropolitan synod decided to begin historical and liturgical research into the lives and struggles of other confessors, monastics, and martyrs from this region. In accordance with Church regulations, proposals will be submitted to the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church for possible canonizations.
Theological Education
The Monday meeting also included an analysis and evaluation of the activities of the extension centers of the Orthodox Theology Faculties of Iași and Bucharest, opened in Chișinău two years ago. The Synod noted the positive formative impact of these academic centers in training the new generation of theologians, clergy, and Christian intellectuals.
There was also a discussion on the potential reactivation of a high school-level Orthodox Theological Seminary to provide an appropriate educational framework for young people with a theological vocation in accordance with the Church’s values and principles.
From an administrative perspective, the bishops approved a series of regulations concerning the standardization of ecclesiastical distinctions and protocol norms in line with the Statute for the Organization and Functioning of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Romanian liturgical tradition and practice.
According to the representatives of the Metropolis of Bessarabia, this synodal meeting represents a major step in shaping the Metropolis’s strategic directions in the current context, clearly reaffirming the steadfastness of its mission and its fidelity to the values of Orthodox faith and the Romanian nation.
Photo: Metropolis of Bessarabia
