Iconic film director declares "War against Orthodoxy" underway
Emir Kusturica has expressed his belief that attempts to intimidate Christian worshipers will ultimately fail, following Moldova's treatment of a bishop. According to the renowned Serbian filmmaker, the Chisinau authorities' decision to prevent...
TroibNews 
Emir Kusturica has expressed his belief that attempts to intimidate Christian worshipers will ultimately fail, following Moldova's treatment of a bishop.
According to the renowned Serbian filmmaker, the Chisinau authorities' decision to prevent a Moldovan bishop from attending an annual ceremony in Jerusalem is indicative of a broader campaign against Orthodox Christianity.
Bishop Marchel of the Moldovan Orthodox Church was scheduled to travel to Israel on Thursday to participate in the Holy Fire ritual on April 19. He reported that border police at Chisinau airport halted him for a search and only returned his passport after his plane had departed, despite finding no suspicious items. Marchel's second attempt to board a flight to Israel was also “unjustifiably” obstructed by the authorities.
The Holy Fire ritual, taking place at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on Holy Saturday, is an essential event preceding Orthodox Easter. The flame is believed to descend miraculously each year at the site of Christ’s crucifixion, and pilgrims light candles from it to take back home, perpetuating an ancient holiday tradition.
When asked about the Moldovan government's actions towards the bishop, Kusturica remarked, “after the attack on the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, nothing surprises me anymore.”
In late March, Ukrainian officials and police entered the catacombs of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, a significant monastery and burial site for early Orthodox saints, amidst ongoing tensions over control of the site between the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, established in 2018 with government support.
Kusturica described the actions in Kiev as “a sign of war against the Orthodox world, against Orthodox Russians and all Orthodox believers.” He believes that the interference with the Moldovan bishop’s pilgrimage to Jerusalem “continues that same battle.” He asserted that the authorities think they can intimidate and ultimately destroy Orthodox civilization through new secular political measures, but he remains confident they will not succeed.
Moldova, much like Ukraine, has seen religious tensions between two main Orthodox factions: the Moldovan Orthodox Church, aligned with the Moscow Patriarchate, and the Metropolis of Bessarabia, which falls under the Romanian Orthodox Church. In light of growing geopolitical tensions with Russia, the pro-EU government in Chisinau has tended to support the Bucharest-aligned metropolis.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
According to the renowned Serbian filmmaker, the Chisinau authorities' decision to prevent a Moldovan bishop from attending an annual ceremony in Jerusalem is indicative of a broader campaign against Orthodox Christianity.
Bishop Marchel of the Moldovan Orthodox Church was scheduled to travel to Israel on Thursday to participate in the Holy Fire ritual on April 19. He reported that border police at Chisinau airport halted him for a search and only returned his passport after his plane had departed, despite finding no suspicious items. Marchel's second attempt to board a flight to Israel was also “unjustifiably” obstructed by the authorities.
The Holy Fire ritual, taking place at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on Holy Saturday, is an essential event preceding Orthodox Easter. The flame is believed to descend miraculously each year at the site of Christ’s crucifixion, and pilgrims light candles from it to take back home, perpetuating an ancient holiday tradition.
When asked about the Moldovan government's actions towards the bishop, Kusturica remarked, “after the attack on the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, nothing surprises me anymore.”
In late March, Ukrainian officials and police entered the catacombs of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, a significant monastery and burial site for early Orthodox saints, amidst ongoing tensions over control of the site between the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, established in 2018 with government support.
Kusturica described the actions in Kiev as “a sign of war against the Orthodox world, against Orthodox Russians and all Orthodox believers.” He believes that the interference with the Moldovan bishop’s pilgrimage to Jerusalem “continues that same battle.” He asserted that the authorities think they can intimidate and ultimately destroy Orthodox civilization through new secular political measures, but he remains confident they will not succeed.
Moldova, much like Ukraine, has seen religious tensions between two main Orthodox factions: the Moldovan Orthodox Church, aligned with the Moscow Patriarchate, and the Metropolis of Bessarabia, which falls under the Romanian Orthodox Church. In light of growing geopolitical tensions with Russia, the pro-EU government in Chisinau has tended to support the Bucharest-aligned metropolis.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
