A priest said during the liturgy that Romania’s path is not towards Brussels or Washington. His superiors took notice, but no sanctions are announced.
The Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuţi reacted on Monday after the priest of a church in Vatra Dornei stated during a sermon that „the correct path for Romania is not towards Brussels or Washington.”
The Press Office of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuţi issued a press release emphasizing once again the importance of adhering to the decisions of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church in order to maintain political neutrality in the pastoral and missionary activities of the clergy.
„Regarding the message conveyed during the sermon by the serving priest at the cathedral in Vatra Dornei, the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuţi firmly distances itself from such biased statements that contradict the guidance of the Holy Synod.
We remind all clerics and monastic personnel that the decisions of the Holy Synod prohibit any form of influencing the faithful regarding a person or a political party, even outside the electoral campaign.
Adhering to this decision is essential for maintaining unity in the Church, as well as ensuring a balanced and impartial attitude in serving the faithful," as stated in the press release of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuţi.
A priest from the Cathedral in Vatra Dornei told the worshippers during the service on Sunday morning that Romanian politicians "no longer have anything Christian in them." He emphasized that "the correct path is not towards Brussels or Washington" and that in Romania people are persecuted because they "speak differently from the official politics."
"Today, it is more evident than ever that we are not free; in our country, we are not free because a series of arrests have begun, those who speak differently from the official politics are pursued, persecuted, imprisoned, and so on. As it happened during the pandemic, which was an experiment (...). This is the path you must follow, not the path towards Brussels, not the path towards Washington or any other influential capitals. The path is the one shown on the path of the saints, on the path of the confessors," the cleric conveyed.