In addition to mercenaries with criminal records or individuals recruited from other localities, at least three priests who had benefited from pre-election pilgrimages organized by the Eurazia Foundation, affiliated with Ilan Șor, were observed on the front line of the altercations at the church in Dereneu. Some of them, besides traveling on the Chișinău–Moscow route, also went to temporarily occupied territories in Ukraine, where they officiated services in churches and delivered anti-Ukrainian sermons. The conflict in Dereneu was also used as a platform for promoting provocative and false messages, in an attempt to create a climate of fear and to fuel the perception of a threat allegedly coming from Romania or Ukraine. Journalists from the Anticoruptie.md portal examined the background of the main organizers of the protests at the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, which—despite a court ruling confirming the right of use over the church to the Metropolis of Bessarabia—continues to be led by priest Alexandru Popa of the Metropolis of Moldova.

 A Service Marked by… Curses

February 12, 2023. The Feast of the Three Holy Hierarchs, marked in red on the Orthodox Christian calendar. From the entrance to the village of Dereneu, a sermon boomed through loudspeakers mounted that same day to the window of the long-disputed church. The voice belonged to Petru, Archbishop of Ungheni and Nisporeni.

The service was attended mainly by people who do not live in Dereneu. They told an Anticoruptie.md reporter they had come to “defend the faith,” but declined to say who had organized their presence at the church. Several vehicles — including minibuses with license plates from outside Călărași district — were seen parked near the church.

Priests and nuns from monasteries and churches in the districts of Ungheni, Nisporeni, Hâncești, Sângerei and Orhei were brought to the service in an organized manner.

After officiating the liturgy, Archbishop Petru launched into anti-Romanian rhetoric and attacks against state authorities. He claimed that the Metropolis of Bessarabia is “recognized by no one in the world,” accused Romania of coming “to steal our faith, like Judas,” and alleged that priests of the Metropolis of Bessarabia were engaged in “collecting information in the Republic of Moldova.”

Amplified by loudspeakers, his message reached police officers who had formed a security cordon at the church entrance. The archbishop warned them they would have “nowhere to bury their parents,” adding that “the government is to blame” for the situation.

“They show documents and say they are from the Romanian Church. That is how they deceive those from other countries. If you love Romania so much, why don’t you go there to build churches and show that you are Romania’s son? Why did you come here? We are Moldovans. People like this crucified Christ when they betrayed Him. This Judas is betraying our faith. You have started to sift through all the information, to know how to act. And today, Judas, how do you act? What kind of man are you? Such people crucify Christ every day,” the priest shouted.

Organizers of the Protests — “Pilgrimage” Coordinators to Moscow

Alongside Archbishop Petru, Vadim Corostinschi, secretary of the Diocese of Ungheni and Nisporeni, was among the leading figures at the Dereneu protests. In 2024, on the eve of the presidential elections and referendum, he organized pilgrimages to the Russian Federation for priests from his diocese.

Although Corostinschi does not publicly post photos from his trips to Russia, colleagues there have done so. In 2024, he appeared on a Russian television channel in a report about a pilgrimage by clergy from the Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova to Moscow. At the Holy Trinity–St. Sergius Lavra in the Russian capital, Corostinschi was seen alongside Metropolitan Vladimir, who delivered a sermon at the monastery church. The report stated that within just a few months, more than 900 priests from the Republic of Moldova had visited holy sites in the Russian Federation.

Enlisted in the Hybrid War

Another priest who took part in the 2024 Moscow pilgrimages — and who appears in media investigations documenting these trips — was spotted in the crowd at Dereneu by Anticoruptie.md sources. He is Nicolae Prisăcaru, a priest from the town of Ungheni, photographed during his “spiritual journeys” in Russia drinking beer at a local establishment.

Beyond moments of leisure, the priests also took part in what were described as “thematic” training sessions. They attended lectures about the “moral threat of the West” and the need to protect traditional values. According to sources and previous media investigations, they were issued MIR bank cards from Promsvyazbank — a financial institution reportedly used by Ilan Șor in vote-buying schemes targeting Moldovan citizens. The priests were allegedly promised substantial transfers to the cards upon their return. In exchange, they were asked to create Telegram channels for their parishes to disseminate pro-Russian and anti-European messages aimed at influencing voters.

After the visits to Russia, even Metropolitan Vladimir acknowledged that the pilgrimages had been financed by the Evrazia Foundation, an entity placed under international sanctions for attempts to destabilize several countries.

“These trips have nothing to do with Mr. Șor. I personally asked His Holiness Patriarch Kirill several times where the funding came from. He told me it was from a certain company called Evrazia. It has no connection to Șor. I was told that Mr. Ilan Șor also receives some money from this company, but those are his own funds given to the Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova,” Metropolitan Vladimir said.

Vadim Corostinschi: “I Was Searched Every Time”

Vadim Corostinschi did not deny traveling to Moscow but declined to specify how many priests from his diocese benefited from pilgrimages funded by the Eurazia Foundation, affiliated with Ilan Șor.

Asked about alleged links between himself and priests from the Diocese of Ungheni and Nisporeni and the Șor group, about propaganda briefings in Russia, and about MIR cards brought into Moldova, Corostinschi dismissed the claims as false. He insisted that border police searches conducted upon his return uncovered nothing compromising.

“Every time I entered the country, I was searched by Border Police or airport authorities. They saw what I brought in. I did not bring any cards, no money, absolutely nothing. Every time I was thoroughly searched — bags and everything. The lies told by former priest Florinel Marin are his own absurdities,” Corostinschi told Anticoruptie.md.

Archbishop Petru: Close Ties in Moscow and Donbas

Known for his close relationship with the Moscow Patriarchate, Archbishop Petru frequently publishes photos of himself alongside Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church. On the website of the Diocese of Ungheni and Nisporeni, images show the two jointly officiating liturgies.

Archbishop Petru is not only a frequent visitor to Russia but has also traveled to territories in eastern Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russian forces. In October 2021, he visited the Diocese of Donetsk, including the Sviatohirsk Monastery. Six months later, the monastic complex was hit by shelling. An archimandrite, a monk and a nun were killed in the explosion.

Priest Florinel Marin: “It Looks Like a Rally for Șor or the Socialists”

Florinel Marin, a priest of the Metropolis of Bessarabia who currently serves in an improvised space despite a court ruling confirming his right to use the disputed church, says he observed a shift in rhetoric among his “rivals” after their return from Moscow.

“I look at them and it feels like a rally for Șor or for the Socialists. Ever since they entered the church eight years ago, they have commemorated Patriarch Kirill and the leadership in Moscow. My colleagues told me this priest went to Moscow three or four times on pilgrimages to bring money into the Republic of Moldova. They brought MIR cards and large sums of money. I understood that all this money was given to the bishop, who then passed it on, including to political figures who have since fled the country,” Marin told Anticoruptie.md.

Several Dereneu residents also spoke about political messaging inside churches. They declined to be filmed, citing fear of “persecution.” After repeated instances in which they said priests suggested how parishioners should vote in presidential, parliamentary and referendum campaigns, some locals began attending services at the church of the Metropolis of Bessarabia, located in the same courtyard as the disputed building.

The Dereneu Scandal — Fuel for Pro-Russian Propaganda

“Persecution of Orthodox believers,” “attack on traditional values,” “a state captured by foreign interests,” and “continuing the bloody scenario from Ukraine” are among the narratives that flooded pro-Russian social media pages and media outlets affiliated with pro-Eastern political parties following the events in Dereneu.

Vitalie Florea, an online commentator with ties to the Șor group in Moscow, posted an AI-generated image portraying the Dereneu scandal as an apocalyptic battle scene. In the illustration, several priests holding crosses confront men carrying yellow flags marked with satanic symbols. Florea wrote that “this conflict is being instigated by the Yellow Satanist sect (editor’s note: PAS), which has captured the state of the Republic of Moldova.”

Two television channels — Canal 5 and Primul în Moldova — which moved exclusively online after being banned over aggressive Russian propaganda, gave the Dereneu scandal extensive coverage. Reports aired every ten minutes. Priest Alexandru Popa, barricaded inside the church, granted them exclusive comments while declining to speak to other media outlets.

On Canal 5, the Bishop of Bălți and Fălești, Marchel, sketched apocalyptic scenarios for Moldova’s future during a phone interview, suggesting the country’s fate would be decided in Dereneu. According to him, the events in the village represent a “continuation of the scenario in Ukraine.”

“In Dereneu, where parishioners are fighting for their church, the fate not only of the Orthodox Church of Moldova but of our country as a whole is being decided. I am convinced this is a continuation of what Ukraine is going through today, and the author of the church division in Moldova is the same,” Marchel stated.

His remarks were swiftly picked up by pro-Kremlin Russian outlets, which framed Moldova and Romania in hostile terms.

Dereneu Becomes a Pilgrimage Site for Pro-Russian Politicians

Since the second wave of tensions erupted in Dereneu, the village has been visited almost daily by Communist, Socialist and other pro-Russian-leaning lawmakers. From the early days of the renewed conflict, Socialist MP Bogdan Țîrdea livestreamed from the scene. Communist MP Adrian Dumeniuc was seen alongside him. The two were filmed passing food packages through a barred window to priest Alexandru Popa and his family, who had barricaded themselves inside the church.

Socialist leader Igor Dodon, accompanied by Communist MP Diana Caraman, also appeared at the Strășeni Court to support six individuals detained for organizing unrest in Dereneu. They defended the detainees, claiming they had been wrongfully arrested “in the name of Christianity.”

Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu suggested that political parties should refrain from interfering in the church dispute.

“This is a conflict between Orthodox believers. The law applies to everyone. We see politicians capitalizing on and portraying themselves as victims of this conflict,” Grosu said, warning against exploiting the situation for political gain.

In contrast, PSRM leader Igor Dodon proposed holding a local referendum.

“I believe the church must remain outside state influence. What is happening in Dereneu is the result of state and government interference. Let the locals decide. The church there has nothing to do with Romania,” Dodon stated.

The idea of a referendum was also supported by Communist MP Diana Caraman.

Priests Without “Residence Permits”

The dispute over the Dereneu church began in 2017. After 25 years under the jurisdiction of the Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova, parish priest Florinel Marin and active parishioners decided to canonically and legally join the Metropolis of Bessarabia.

In March 2018, a group of locals broke the church door, changed the lock and removed Florinel Marin from serving. He was replaced by another priest, Alexandru Popa, appointed by the Metropolis of Moldova. At a village assembly on March 18, 2018, 400 residents voted to join the Metropolis of Bessarabia, but access to the church was blocked.

In June 2025, the Supreme Court of Justice issued a final ruling in the Dereneu church case, upholding the right of use over the building in favor of the Metropolis of Bessarabia.

On February 1 this year, tensions escalated again when Archbishop Petru of Ungheni and Nisporeni, accompanied by several dozen supporters, arrived in Dereneu in an attempt to force entry into the church but was stopped by law enforcement. Police later withdrew, and the priest affiliated with the Metropolis of Moldova continues to serve inside the building.

In its investigation “Priests Without Residence Permits,” Anticoruptie.md documented what it described as a troubling pattern of pressure against priests across Moldova who seek to transfer from the Moscow-subordinated Metropolis of Moldova to the Metropolis of Bessarabia.

Those who have declared their separation are forced, quite literally, to hold services in improvised spaces, as defrocking is followed by their removal from churches and public vilification.