Two candidates compete for Bassarabia Metropolitanate leadership
The process of selecting a new Archbishop of Chisinau and Exarch of the Plains has commenced, following the significant scandal at the Metropolitanate of Bassarabia and the departure of Metropolitan Petru. The Metropolitan Synod has put forward two candidates for the leadership of the Archdiocese of Chisinau.
One of the candidates for the position of Metropolitan of Bassarabia is His Eminence Antonie of Bălți, who has been leading the Diocese of Bălți since 2018. He was among those who filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights regarding the registration of the Metropolitanate of Bassarabia in the Republic of Moldova.
The second candidate is His Eminence Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia, aged 50, who has also led the Diocese of Southern Bassarabia since 2018.
The proposals will be submitted to the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, which will elect the new Metropolitan of Bessarabia through a secret ballot.
This vacancy arises after His Eminence Petru Păduraru officially requested to step down at the end of May due to age, health concerns, and for the good of the church.
However, this decision came at a time when compromising videos surfaced online, allegedly showing the high prelate in intimate poses with another man. The source of these images has not been officially confirmed or denied by any authority.
Petru, who is 79 years old, has led the Metropolitanate of Bassarabia for over three decades.
