The Romanian Orthodox Church has publicly distanced itself from the actions and statements made by Archbishop Teodosii of Tomi (Constanța), who has stirred controversy by openly endorsing Calin Georgescu as “God’s messenger” in his diocese. Archbishop Teodosii has also expressed admiration for figures like Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev, and Donald Trump, citing their promotion of “peace” and “Christian values.” His overt promotion of Georgescu has drawn significant attention from both Romanian and international media.
In a formal statement, the Romanian Patriarchate declared: “The Romanian Patriarchate categorically distances itself from the statements of His Eminence Father Teodosii, Archbishop of Tomi, in an interview given to the publication Le Figaro regarding Mr. Calin Georgescu and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The next working session of the Holy Synod will examine the case of His Eminence Theodosius for his repeated violations of the Holy Synod’s decisions concerning election campaigns.”
The controversy intensified following an interview published on December 6 in the French magazine Le Figaro, where Archbishop Teodosii described Calin Georgescu—Romania’s former presidential candidate—as “more of a man of God than a politician” and “sent by God.” He praised Georgescu as a man of strong Christian values, deeply connected to his heritage as the descendant of priests, and caring about Romania’s well-being. Additionally, the archbishop referred to Vladimir Putin as “a man of peace and a builder of churches,” suggesting that Putin “should not be feared.” When French journalists pressed him on how this view aligned with Putin’s war in Ukraine, Teodosii avoided addressing the question directly, attributing the conflict’s cause to “the bad guys.” He claimed that Georgescu, who sympathizes with Putin, could “resolve these contradictions.”
In response to criticism, Archbishop Teodosii insisted that he had not violated any church rules. He argued that the interview had been intended for publication after the elections, not before, and that his description of Georgescu as “God’s messenger” was meant to highlight the candidate’s personal qualities rather than serve a political agenda. Regarding his comments on Putin, Teodosii clarified that he had only spoken “in principle,” emphasizing Putin’s role as a builder of churches.
This is not the first time Archbishop Teodosii has been at the center of a scandal. In 2006, he admitted to being recruited by Romania’s former communist-era secret police, the Securitate, in 1987 while working as an assistant at the Institute of Theology in Bucharest. At the time, he cited vulnerability due to his application for a scholarship to study abroad. Teodosii claimed that any reports he provided to the Securitate were strictly related to matters “of great national interest.”
The Romanian Orthodox Church’s leadership will now deliberate on potential disciplinary action against Archbishop Teodosii during the upcoming Holy Synod meeting.
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