Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni's attitude to some negative phenomena in society and the church during the period of Exarchate of Moldavia, Wallachia, and Bessarabia (1808-1812)

During the Russian-Turkish War (1806-1812), by the decree of Emperor Alexander I on March 27, 1808, the Exarchate of Moldavia, Wallachia, and Bessarabia was formed. The former Metropolitan of Kiev and Halych Gavriil Banulescu-Bodoni was appointed the head of the new church administrative-territorial unit. Exarch Gavriil Banulescu-Bodoni paid particular attention to the establishing of balanced relations between the church and civil authorities, taking into account some negative phenomena in society and the church. In order to establish such relationship, as well as to improve the situation of the clergy in the principalities, Metropolitan Gavriil undertook a series of measures, including: –trying to exclude interference of civil authorities in the affairs of the church; –the fight against abuses by the Russian military; –reducing the number of priests. The present study is dedicated to the analysis of these aspects of the Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni's activity at the Exarchate in 1806-1812.