(MENAFN) The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused Moldova of launching a deliberate attack on the canonical Orthodox Church after authorities blocked Bishop Marchel of the Moldovan Orthodox Church from attending an Easter ceremony in Jerusalem. The bishop had been scheduled to travel to Israel on April 19 to participate in the Holy Fire ritual, which is considered a miraculous event at the site of Christ’s crucifixion. However, upon arrival at Chisinau airport, he was searched by border police, and his passport was only returned after his flight had already departed. His second attempt to board another flight was also unjustly blocked by Moldovan authorities.

Moscow has condemned this action as part of Moldova’s ongoing policy against its own people, accusing the government of double standards. Gennady Askaldovich, Russia's special representative for religious freedom, called the incident a “malicious attack” on the Moldovan Orthodox Church and urged international organizations to take note and assess the actions of the Moldovan authorities.

The situation is seen as part of broader religious tensions in Moldova, where two main Orthodox factions are at odds: the Moldovan Orthodox Church, aligned with the Moscow Patriarchate, and the Metropolis of Bessarabia, which is supported by Moldova's pro-EU government. Askaldovich pointed out that a representative of the Metropolis of Bessarabia was allowed to attend the Holy Fire ceremony, despite the fact that most Moldovan Orthodox believers follow the Moscow-aligned church.

The Russian official expressed concern that such actions are an attempt to undermine religious unity in Moldova, a country where Orthodox Christianity forms a key part of the cultural and moral fabric. He criticized the Moldovan government's disrespect for its citizens by manipulating sensitive religious issues.

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