Bishop Markell reported on new attempts by Chisinau to prevent his flight to Israel.

On April 18, Archbishop Markell of Balti and Falesti announced that Moldovan police had tried to prevent his new flight to Israel for the Holy Fire.

"We had to change <...> four cars before we got [to Chisinau airport]." <...> Every car we got into was stopped by [police]," the priest told reporters after arriving at the airport.

In the end, Markell and his entourage had to travel to the airport in secret by "roundabout routes."

At the same time, the priest urged to preserve the Christian spirit and remember that Christ made his sacrifice on the cross, including for the sake of those who are now trying to prevent the archbishop from receiving a particle of Holy Fire.

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A day earlier, the archbishop told Izvestia that he had been detained at passport control at Chisinau airport. There, his documents were seized without explanation. According to the priest, all this was done purposefully so that he would not catch a flight to Israel, where he should receive a particle of the Holy Fire.

On April 18, Ilan Shor, leader of the Pobeda opposition bloc, called the detention of Archbishop Markell a vile and cowardly act by the Moldovan authorities. He added that the authorities are simply afraid of the church, since it is she who enjoys the trust of the people.