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{{diocese|name=Orthodox Church of Moldova|jurisdiction=[[Church of Russia|Russia]] |type=Autonomous|founded=1373|bishop=[[Vladimir (Cantarean) of Chisinau|Vladimir (Cantarean)]]|see=Chişinău|hq=Chişinău, Moldova|territory=Moldova (including Transdniestria)|language=[[Church Slavonic]], Romanian|music=[[Russian Chant]], [[Byzantine Chant]]|calendar=[[Julian Calendar|Julian]]|population=2,000,000|website=[http://www.mitropolia.md/ Official Website]}}The '''Moldovan Orthodox Church''' (Officially: '''Orthodox Church of Moldova''', Russian: Православная Церковь Молдовы, Romanian: Biserica Ortodoxă din Moldova) is an autonomous church under entity of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]]; it is to be distinguished from the Metropolis of Bessarabia, which is under the with canonical [[Church of Romaniajurisdiction]], but has jurisdiction over some parishes in Moldova, including the disputed region of Transdniestria.

More than 90% of It should not be confused with the approximately 4.5 million citizens Metropolis of Moldova marked on a Soviet census that they were Orthodox Christian. Of the two jurisdictionsBessarabia, the Moldovan Orthodox Church (under an autonomous part of the [[Church of RussiaRomania|Romanian Orthodox Church]]) has 1with jurisdiction in Moldova,080 parishesUkraine, compared to the Metropolis and parts of Bessarabia, which has 84 parishesRussia. Additionally, The Russian Orthodox Church and the [[Old Believers|Old Rite]] Russian Moldovan Orthodox Church make up approximately 3.6% consider the Metropolis of the populationBessarabia an uncanonical entity.

Moldova has a total population of 3,388,000, 76.1% of whom identify themselves as Moldovans (national census of 2004). A census in the early 1990s showed 90% of the citizens of Moldova marked themselves as Orthodox Christian. ==Short History== From 1373 to 1401 Moldavia was a self-ruled church until Ottoman conquest.  From 1401-1812 the territory was part of different eparchies of the Patriarchate of Constantinople which in turn was responsible to the [[Ottoman empire|Ottoman Sultanate]]. From 1791 to 1812 the territory was part of the Moldovo-Wallachian Exarchate of Constantinople.  From 1812 to 1918 the territory constituted the Chisinau Eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church. Its first Metropolitan was Gavriil (Banulescu-Bodoni). Its last metropolitan was Anastasios, the future first-hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.  From 1918 to 1940 the territory constituted part of the Metropolitanate of Bessarabia during the existence of Greater Romania.  From 1940 to 1992 the territory constituted the Metropolis of Chisinau and Moldova of the Church of Russia.  In October 1992 the Metropolis of Chisinau and Moldova was granted autonomy by the Church of Russia.  ==Current Autonomy=={{cleanup}} In the lead-up to the independence of Moldova, a significant part of the population [[http://www.orthodox.org.ph/content/view/505/50/]] wanted reunification with Romania rather than independence[[http://www.orthodox.org.ph/content/view/505/50/]]. They were encouraged by Romanian authorities, and by the Church of Romania[[http://www.orthodox.org.ph/content/view/505/50/]]. The Church of Romania revived the Metropolitanate of Bessarabia, granted it autonomous status and gave it authority over (part) of Moldova and other areas. In October 1992 the [[Church of Russia]] granted autonomy to the Metropolis of Chisinau and Moldova which holds the vast majority of the Orthodox population, [[parish]]es, monasteries, and churches in Moldova. This Metropolis is usually now known as the Moldovan Orthodox Church. The Moldovan Orthodox Church has 1,080 parishes. The Metropolis of Bessarabia, has about 84 parishes within the nation of Moldova. The [[Old Believers|Old Rite]] Russian Orthodox Church make up approximately 3.6% of the population. The head of the Moldovan Orthodox Church is Metropolitan Vladimir, who is one of the permanent members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.  The Moldovan Orthodox Church has four eparchies: Chisinau, Tiraspol and Dubasari, Edinets and its practises Briceani, plus Cahul and Comrat. Church languages are Romanian and Slavonic. Church music is Byzantine and Russian. Entities are entwined 1080 parishes, 30 monasteries, 1 academy, 2 seminaries.  The autonomous Metropolitanate of Basarabia is said to have 30 to 84 parishes in Moldova, the Odesa region of Ukraine, and the Chuvash region of Russia in the Ural mountains. It was founded by the bishop of Balti, Petru (Paduraru) in 1992, with the culture support of the Church of Romania. It was also supported by political parties opposing independence for the Republic of Moldova; hence, many self. It considers itself to be the heir of the Metropolitanate of Bessarabia which existed in 1918-professed atheists routinely celebrate religious holidays 1940 during the period of Greater Romania.  Conflict continues between the [[Church of Romania]] and do various actions that would normally denote Orthodoxy; however, this is done out the [[Church of cultureRussia]] over Moldova and other areas.

*Source: [http://www.orthodox.org.ph/content/view/505/50/ Moldovan Orthodox Church]*[http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2003/24423.htm US State Department International Religious Freedom Report 2003]*Wikipedia: [[w:Moldova|Wikipedia article on Moldova]]