A British vicar has become embroiled in Romania's number one controversy as it commemorates this week's anniversary of the overthrow of communism - the fear of a resurgence of the former secret police, the Securitate.
Worried about rumours circulating his Bucharest congregation that a new member, a young Romanian woman, was a spy, the Rev Steve Hughes chose a Sunday sermon earlier this month to go public.
"There was a lot of whispering going on behind the scenes, the Brits are paranoid about it," says Mr Hughes. "Towards the end of the sermon I said it. I was pointing out if anybody comes up with any suggestions, they should come up with evidence."
But his plan backfired, setting tongues wagging anew in the handsome red-brick Anglican church in downtown Bucharest. His mistake was to misjudge the paranoia among his flock about the possible re-emergence of the Securitate. Under the Ceausescu regime which fell 10 years ago this week, the Securitate operated a vast network of informants, using terror and imprisonment to cow the population, and building up a warehouse of 125 million files - six for every man, woman and child in Romania.
Now, it is said, it is back. The former communist Social Democratic Party leads opinion polls before next year's elections, and most expect a return to the old ways to follow.
Romanians have been aware that at least a part of the Romanian Intelligence Service, descendent of the Securitate, is operating outside the control of the government for more than a year. The spark was the so-called "Cotroceni-gate" in 1998, when allegations were made that the president was having a love affair with a young actress at his official resident, Cotroceni Palace.
The actress confirmed the details, compiled by an intelligence service apparently outside government control.
Mr Hughes admits his pulpit appeal has only fuelled debate that there is another spy in their midst but he continues to support her. "She said to me, `it's a shame you told them'. She baby-sits for us. I'm sure there are a lot of people passing information but what are they going to say about me? That the church is growing?"
Parishioners, both foreign and Romanian, are convinced they are being infiltrated. "You can spot them a mile off," said one. "There's a lot of eavesdropping at the church, it is a great way to keep tabs on the foreign community."
Mr Hughes remains unfazed. "I'd like all the secret service to come to church - perhaps we could convert some of them," he says.