Controversial Orthodox diocese in Romania selling badges with Russian national emblem

The controversial Archdiocese of Tomis of the Romanian Orthodox Church is selling badges with the Russian national emblem in its souvenir shop; last year, Archbishop Theodosius of Tomisia praised Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Source: European Pravda, citing Replica Online, a Romanian online news outlet

Details: Although Romania has shown solidarity with Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russian aggression, the Archdiocese of Tomis is selling badges with the Russian national emblem in its gift shop, among candles, icons, bracelets, and other church-related items.

"A two-headed eagle. This is a Slavic idea that the power of the state is inside the church. It's in a frame, and St George in the centre is more solemn," a shopkeeper explained the badge’s symbolism.

The Romanian news outlet HotNews.ro reported that last year Archbishop Theodosius of Tomis praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council. Theodosius said Putin and Medvedev "are not as evil as everyone paints them."

"Of course, they have their sins. They are not responsible for the sins of their fathers who ushered in communism. They were not the ones to do it. It was the Westerns who introduced communism, they were the ones who imposed communism. Marx and Engels are not from Russia. They are from elsewhere," Theodosius said.

Currently, the Archdiocese of Tomis has recently found itself at the centre of another controversy: priest Eugen Tanasescu has resigned as the diocese’s press secretary and media advisor after the release of audio recordings in which he appears to confirm that Aneta Badiu, a former clairvoyant, has influence over Archbishop Theodosius.

The Archdiocese of Tomis said it was conducting an internal investigation to find out who made the recordings.

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