(MENAFN) Bishop Marchel of the Moldovan Orthodox Church spoke to RT on Friday after being prevented once again from leaving Moldova for Jerusalem to participate in Easter ceremonies. Despite calling the treatment he received from authorities the “work of the Evil One,” the bishop urged his parish to maintain true “Christian calm.”

Originally scheduled to travel to Jerusalem on Thursday, Bishop Marchel was detained at the airport alongside two clerics for questioning and searches, causing him to miss his flight. On Friday, he faced the same obstruction, preventing his departure once again.

In his interview with RT, the bishop suggested that these obstacles were part of a deliberate effort to disrupt Orthodox Easter celebrations and prevent the Holy Fire from being brought to Moldova. He likened the situation to a spiritual battle between Archangel Michael and dark forces. He attributed the actions to what he described as the “work of the Evil One.”

However, the bishop noted that efforts to block the celebrations had failed since two senior Moldovan clerics had already managed to travel to Jerusalem before the authorities took notice. Despite the setback, he forgave those responsible and called on himself and others to remain calm and composed, emphasizing that life continues and Easter will bring joy and hope in the resurrection of Christ.

Bishop Marchel also speculated that the decision to block the pilgrimage came from Moldova’s top officials, though he did not provide further details. He suggested that Moldova might be a “test bed” for a broader effort to undermine Christianity, orchestrated by global forces. Despite this, he expressed hope that Moldova would remain a strong Christian Orthodox nation and survive these challenges.

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