Moldovan priest gets banned from trip for Easter ritual for another time
(MENAFN) Bishop Marchel of the Moldovan Orthodox Church was once again stopped from leaving Moldova late on Friday as he attempted to travel to Jerusalem for Easter celebrations. This marks his second failed attempt to attend the Holy Fire ritual, an important event before Orthodox Easter. Previously, he was detained by border police at the airport, causing him to miss his flight.
Speaking to reporters outside the airport, the bishop hinted that he was once again blocked by law enforcement, leading to his delay. When asked for an explanation, he suggested the situation was unexplainable, noting that such events sometimes occur for no apparent reason. He mentioned that while the police had treated him well, they had been used as instruments by those in power.
Bishop Marchel addressed a group of supporters gathered outside, who carried signs and chanted slogans in his support. The bishop encouraged them with a message of unity, declaring, "Moldova is with God! Moldova is with the Risen Christ!" He urged people to stick together, as individual actions could lead to being "crushed into dust."
Initially scheduled to depart on Thursday for the Holy Fire ceremony, Bishop Marchel said Moldovan police stopped him and two fellow clerics under the pretext of conducting a search. Despite finding nothing suspicious, their passports were withheld until after their flight had already departed.
Ilona Railyan, a spokesperson for Moldovan border police, defended the officers' actions, explaining the search as a standard procedure. She also mentioned that the bishop arrived late at the airport, leaving insufficient time for the screening. However, she did not provide an explanation for Marchel's claim of being searched twice.
The incident has drawn widespread criticism. The Russian Orthodox Church condemned the move as politically motivated, describing it as a "deliberate mockery" of the faithful. Lawmakers in Russia and opposition figures in Moldova also decried the actions as politically charged, with some calling it an "act of terror." In response, the United Nations has launched an inquiry into the incident.
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