Report
In Chisinau, Ukrainian refugees gather in the Russian Cathedral
Audio 01:21
Orthodox worshipers attending mass in Chisinau, Moldova (illustrative image).
AP - Sergei Grits
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
Faced with the reaffirmed support of the Patriarch of Moscow for Putin, more and more Orthodox priests are calling to leave his patriarchy.
The Ukrainian Church has been independent for four years.
RFI met Ukrainian refugees in the neighboring country who had come despite everything to meditate in a cathedral of the Moscow patriarchate.
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With our special
correspondent in Chisinau
,
Oriane Verdier
The majority of the faithful who climb the stairs of the great cathedral of Chisinau are Ukrainians like Julia who came with her daughter.
“
We walked past this church with the children and given the current situation in Ukraine, we decided to enter to pray for us and our country, for peace,”
she explains.
“I am in no condition to testify to what is happening.
It hurts me too much
.
»
Additional pain, the
support displayed by Patriarch Kirill
, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, for the war waged by Moscow.
Lena arrived from Ukraine with her little girl two days ago.
“
I am baptized in the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church appeared recently.
It's very hard.
We don't understand what is happening.
We all have the same faith, we are brothers!
Right now holy places are being bombed.
It's very hard, ”
she explains to RFI
.
“We are from Dnipropetrovsk.
We speak Russian in our city just like in Kharkiv.
Russians kill Russians, we don't understand how it's possible.
It is a great sin
.
»
► Also to listen: Ukraine: the war shakes the Orthodox Church on its foundations
In Moldova, the Church dependent on the Moscow Patriarchate does not take a position.
The one attached to the Patriarchate of Romania, she calls to pray for the Ukrainian soldiers.
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Moldova
Ukraine
Russia
Religion