Religion in Transnistria

Official statistics of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, or Transnistria, show that 91 percent of the Transnistrian population adhere to Eastern Orthodox Christianity, with 4 percent adhering to the Catholic Church.^[1] Roman Catholics are mainly located in Northern Transnistria, a region with a notable Polish minority.^[2]

Transnistria's government has supported the restoration and construction of new Orthodox churches. It affirms that the republic has freedom of religion and states that 114 religious beliefs and congregations are officially registered. However, as recently as 2009, registration hurdles were met with by some religious groups, notably the Jehovah's Witnesses and according to information from the organization itself, they have 4,300 members in the territory.^[3][4]

Eastern Orthodoxy is the dominant religion in Transnistria.

Most Orthodox Transnistrians are under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Tiraspol and Dubăsari of the Russian Orthodox Church's Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova. Since 5 March 2010, the ruling bishop has been Sabbas Volkov, Archbishop of Tiraspol and Dubăsari. The diocese includes seven deaneries; Tiraspol, Bender, Slobozia, Grigoriopol, Dubăsari, Rîbnița, and Camenca.^[5] The cathedrals are located in Tiraspol and Dubăsari.

The Romanian Orthodox Church is represented in Transnistria by the Diocese of Dubăsari and Transnistria [ro], a suffragan of the Metropolis of Bessarabia considered a continuation of the former Romanian Orthodox Mission in Transnistria. It is based in the city of Dubăsari, however it is vacant.

The territory of Transnistria is under the Diocese of Chișinău and All Moldova [ru] of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church. As of 2016, there are three Old Believer churches in Transnistria; the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in Tiraspol, the Church of the Great Martyr George the Victorious in the village of Bîcioc, and the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in Bender.^[6]

In Rașcov, there is a rectory and a dilapidated church in operation named after Saint Cajetan.^[7] In Rîbnița, a church named after Saint Joseph is being built. There are no religious cult buildings in Tiraspol and Bender, the issue of their construction is being considered.^[8] Currently, the rites are held in the parish chapel of Tiraspol. Transnistrian parishes are headed by Anton Coșa, the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in Moldova.

Protestantism is represented in Tiraspol by the Church of Christ the Savior^[9] and the Seventh-Day Adventist churches of Maranafa and Emmanuel.^[10][11]

Today Islam is one of the smallest religions in Transnistria, with the majority of the population being Orthodox or atheist, but until the beginning of the 20th century it was professed by a significant amount. It was centered in the city of Bender, the former center of Ottoman power in the region.^[12]

The history of the spread of Islam in the region began after the Turkish Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent defeated the Principality of Moldavia in August 1538. The mixed Romanian–Slavic population on the left bank of the Dniester was left open to the wild steppes from the east and was defeated. After fierce battles, the Turks occupied the entire territory of Moldavia, turning it into an Ottoman vassal. The city of Tighina, as well as the 18 villages adjacent to it, were turned into a Turkish raya called Bender. On the site of the former citadel, the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan designed a more advanced fortification called the Bender Fortress.^[12] Budjak Tatars settled behind its walls, forming the basis of local Muslims for more than 200 subsequent years.

In 1789, during the Russo-Turkish war, Prince Potemkin allowed the entire Muslim population of the besieged city to leave it with the possibility of selling houses, property and livestock. Most Muslims went to Dobruja, becoming muhacirs. On the map compiled in the same year, four mosques can be seen located on the territory of the fortress.^[13] Bender itself finally ceded to the Russian Empire only in November 1806, and officially only in 1812.

There are 4 synagogues in Transnistria, being in Tiraspol, Bender, Dubăsari and Rîbnița.^[14][15][16] There are no rabbis in Transnistria, so religious rites are performed by Jewish hazzans who live in the territory of the Republic of Moldova. Transnistrian Jews are united in the Association of Jewish Communities.