Metropolitan Antonie appointed head of the Basarabia Metropolis in Moldova

The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church elected Bishop Antonie of Bălți as the new Metropolitan of Basarabia on 2 July 2026. The decision, announced by Patriarch Daniel, named Antonie to lead the Orthodox faithful in the historic region of Basarabia.

Antonie, born on 29 May 1963 in Hârbovăț, Anenii Noi district, received his medical degree in Chișinău and later studied theology in Iași. He has served as vicar of the Chișinău Archdiocese, bishop of Orhei, and since 2018 as Bishop of Bălți. In a reception at the Sculeni border crossing on 3 July 2026, clergy and believers welcomed him, and he described his appointment as a surprise, pledging to continue pastoral, charitable, and cultural projects initiated during his tenure in Bălți. He affirmed his commitment, stating, “I am a soldier of Christ, and a soldier goes as far as he can, then as far as he must.”