despite being identified as anti-conservative dissenters, the cecans generally took up the cause of far-right russian nationalism. in its pages, "obyedineniye" expressed full support for the union of the russian people (of which cecan was a member), and in particular for the antisemitic agitator pavel krushevan. in preparation for the legislative election of september 1912, cecan and alexandru baltaga founded some 29 electoral committees of eparchy grounds. this led them into open conflict with archbishop seraphim, who had ordered his clergy not to interfere with politics. after signing their names to a letter of protest against seraphim's "absolutism", cecan and baltaga were demoted and stripped of their parishes.