Biserica Ortodoxă din Basarabia tratată în istoriografia rusească în perioada de timp de la începutul secolului al XIX-lea și până la Marea Unire din 1918
The Orthodox Church in Bessarabia as Portrayed in Russian Historiography from the Early 19th Century until the Great Union of 1918

Summary/Abstract: Although more than three decades have passed since the Republic of Moldova declared its independence, the transition period from Russian communist totalitarianism to democratic governance is still ongoing. The oscillation between East and West continues to shape the political, social, economic, cultural, and religious landscape of the Republic of Moldova. The war in Ukraine has further accentuated the differences between the Eastern and Western worlds, putting the Republic of Moldova in a position to decisively choose the direction it will take for the well-being of Moldovan society. The Church in the Republic of Moldova is part of this transition process, being involved in geopolitical struggles. This is not a new process, but a secular legacy that began with the separation of Bessarabia from the body of Moldova in 1812. The Metropolis of Bessarabia, part of the Romanian Patriarchate, is considered a representative of the interests of the Romanian Orthodox Christians on east of the Prut River, fighters for national identity with Romanian and European aspirations. At the same time, the Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova, canonically subordinated to the Russian Patriarchate, is oriented towards the russkiy mir, being the institution through which the Russian Federation imposes its control in the region. These disputes, determined by the pro-Western and pro-Eastern directions, which also divide Moldovan society and the Church, make the topic we will investigate in this article. This historiographic study aims to systematize russian-language historiography from the beginning of the 19th century until the Great Union of 1918 regarding religious life in Bessarabia under Russian occupation. This research facilitates the understanding and evaluation of the missionary and pastoral work in the Orthodox Church of the Republic of Moldova.

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