The Orthodox Church Shocked by Sexual Scandalism

Romania's Orthodox Church faces a crisis of confidence after its council conducted a two-day meeting Thursday and Friday to discuss several cases of clerics recently charged with involvement in sexual scandals.

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The best-known case is for Cornelius Birsyau, bishop of Hus, in eastern Romania, who enrolled while engaging in intimate relations with a former Muslim who is currently a priest.

The video was shown in June when anti-corruption prosecutors arrested three priests depending on the bishop, who tried to blackmail him in exchange for money or positions in the Church.

Moldova's Metropolitan and Bukovina have immediately banned all clerical and administrative duties from the bishop, but the council remains to make the final decision.

Orthodox Patriarch Vasile Banescu's spokesman said the bishop was informed that he risked leaving office if he was unable to present evidence to refute serious charges.

The bishop attended the meeting Friday to present evidence supporting his claim that the videos were false. The session was closed and all members were asked to leave their phones off phones and recording equipment.

“This is the first time in the history of the Romanian Orthodox Church that a senior cleric is on trial in the council for such a moral and disciplinary violation”, Banescu noted on Thursday.

He also said he had advised the bishop to resign so that the scandal would not harm the Church's image, but the prelate had refused.

On another occasion, Cristian Pomohac, a priest in a village in the Mures district of Transylvania, enrolled while trying to seduce a 17-year-old to have sex with him. The priest is under investigation by the prosecutor's office. He has denied the charges.

The same priest was involved in 2013 in an exorcism, a practice that the Romanian Orthodox Church forbids. He sent her to a monastery for prayer and repentance.

The orbit of a monastery in the northern area of Maramura, meanwhile, is accused by a theology student of trying to seduce her. The student published a recording of the Internet conversation, but the abat has denied the prosecution and said he will prove his innocence in a secular court.

Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church publicly apologised on July 28th for “concern” created by scandals among Orthodox believers in Romania.