A violent scandal erupted in a church in the village of Grinăuți, Rîșcani district, Moldova, where priest Constantin Turtureanu was physically assaulted and forcefully removed from the place of worship by a group of parishioners.
The incident stems from tensions between the Moldova Metropolis (subordinated to the Moscow Patriarchate) and the Bessarabia Metropolis (part of the Romanian Patriarchate).
Violence in church and police intervention
Footage captured inside the church and shared by the priest's wife, Anișoara Turtureanu, shows the priest being pulled by the hair and pushed outside by several men and women.
Police officers also intervened on the scene. Law enforcement representatives announced that the case is under investigation.
"The case has been registered and documented. Those responsible will be held accountable according to the law," stated Lilia Harea, the spokesperson for the Police of the Republic of Moldova, to TV8.
Dispute between two patriarchates
Tension escalated after priest Constantin Turtureanu decided to affiliate the parish with the Bessarabia Metropolis, under the Romanian Patriarchate, relinquishing the affiliation with the Moldova Metropolis, affiliated with the Russian Patriarchate.
His decision led to immediate sanctions by the Moldova Metropolis, which issued a suspension decree and appointed another cleric in his place.
New locks on church doors
On the same day, supporters of the Moldova Metropolis changed the locks on the church doors, blocking access for those who support the priest's decision.
According to TV Nord, the local community is deeply divided, and the religious conflict reflects a broader rupture in Moldovan society, situated at the intersection of Romanian and Russian influences.
The case in Grinăuți brings to light the challenges of coexistence between the two church structures in Moldova, within a sensitive geopolitical context and a society marked by competing historical and religious identities.