Moldovan premier meets high Orthodox Church Hierarchs

9/3/2010

Chisinau, 9 March /MOLDPRES/ – Prime Minister Vlad Filat has met Metropolitan of Chisinau and All Moldova, Most Right Reverend Vladimir and Metropolitan of Bessarabia and Exarch of Regions, Most Right Reverend Petru, the government’s press service has said.

The sides focused on the issue of teaching religion in schools. The prime minister emphasized the decisive role of the Church in the settlement of the problem of morality in society. Vlad Filat advocated the approval of an optional course of religion in schools, due to be studied by pupils with the parents’ consent.

At the same time, the prime minister spoke in favour of vast consultations with Church representatives and public debates on this issue in March. “We want to celebrate the Holy Eastern Holidays with a formalized decision on the matter this year, and to have a normative framework for teaching religion in school by 1 September 2010,” the prime minister said.

Most Right Reverend Vladimir and Most Right Reverend Petru appreciated the prime minister’s initiative. They stressed that the Church first called on the authorities to introduce religion in schools back in 1993.

“As the time passed, many Moldovan schools applied the practice of teaching religion as optional course. Their experience was positively appreciated in society. Parents, teachers, as well as priests were contented,” Most Right Reverend Vladimir said.

The metropolitans voiced hope that the common goal of the state’s authorities and the Orthodox Church – to consolidate society and promote the ancestors’ faith for the present at future generations – will be achieved.

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