Metropolis of Bessarabia celebrates 24 years of official recognition in Chișinău

On 30 July 2026, the Metropolitan Headquarters in Chișinău hosted a commemorative ceremony marking the 24th anniversary of the official recognition of the Metropolis of Bessarabia by the Republic of Moldova. The recognition stemmed from a 2002 European Court of Human Rights decision that affirmed the Metropolis’s legal status.

The event featured a Te Deum service led by Metropolitan Antonie, Archbishop of Chișinău, and was attended by clergy, public officials, academics, cultural figures, media representatives and believers. Speeches highlighted the historical, juridical and spiritual importance of the 30 July 2002 decision and paid tribute to Patriarch Teoctist, all Romanian Patriarchs, and the clergy, jurists, diplomats and cultural figures who contributed to the Metropolis’s legal affirmation. The Metropolitan emphasized religious freedom and the affirmation of historical truth as fundamental values for a democratic society.