Basarabian Romanian Orthodox Church

Own literature

The Metropolis of Bessarabia has its own literature, which plays a crucial role in consolidating the spiritual and national identity of the parishes that return to Romanian jurisdiction. This literature is composed of liturgical texts, periodicals, and works of ecclesiastical history.

Here are the main categories of literature used in the Romanian Orthodox churches of Basarabia:

1. Liturgical Books (Published by the Biblical Institute Publishing House)

Since the Mitropolia of Basarabia is an integral part of the Romanian Patriarchate, the official liturgical literature is that published by the Biblical and Orthodox Mission Institute Publishing House (EIBMO)..

  • The Divine Liturgy Book, the Prayer Book, and the Horologion: These are the fundamental books used at the altar, written in Romanian with diacritics, replacing editions in Church Slavonic or those issued during the Russian administration.
  • The Synodal Bible: the official version of the Holy Scriptures approved by the Holy Synod, also available online through authorized Orthodox resources.

2. Periodical Publications

  • The “Orthodox Basarabia” Magazine: It is the official publication of the Metropolis, containing articles on theology, local history, and news about parish activities.
  • The Lumina Newspaper: The Chisinau edition of the national daily newspaper of the Romanian Patriarchate, which reflects church life in the Republic of Moldova.

3. Local Historical and Theological Literature

In 2026, special emphasis is placed on recovering the memory of martyrs from the Soviet period:

  • Parish monographs: Works documenting the history of Basarabian churches from the interwar period and their reactivation process.
  • The Writings of the Hierarchs: Volumes signed by His Holiness Petru, Mitropolia of Basarabia, or by His Holiness Antonie, Bishop of Bălți, focused on the mission of the church in contemporary society.

4. Catechetical and Educational Materials

For "Sunday Schools", the Mitropolia uses its own or adapted didactic literature:

  • The Orthodox Christian Catechism Textbooks for children and adults that explain the foundations of faith.
  • "Diaconia" resources: Practical guides for volunteers and social workers, published by the "Diaconia" Social Mission.

5. Parish Libraries

Many parishes began in 2026 to equip their own libraries with book collections sent from Romania through cultural support programs, offering believers access to the works of the Holy Fathers and contemporary Christian literature.