George Simion attends Romanian community festival in Chicago

George Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), participated in a Romanian community festival in Chicago, USA, organized by the St. Andrew Orthodox Parish. During his speech, Simion emphasized national identity, faith, and the connection between Romanians in the United States and their homeland, specifically noting the presence of people from both Romania and the Republic of Moldova.

Controversy has arisen regarding the ecclesiastical affiliation of the St. Andrew Parish. Reports indicate the parish falls under the jurisdiction of the Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova, which is canonically linked to the Moscow Patriarchate.

In a formal response to allegations, AUR stated that Simion did not pray at the St. Andrew church but rather at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Chicago, which belongs to the Romanian Orthodox Church. The party noted that Simion attended the events alongside Romanian officials, including the Consul General in Chicago, Lucian-Ilie Stănică, and denied that the visit was intended to support structures affiliated with Russia.