Zalmoxianism (Bakó & Hubbes 2011: p. 139-140) is a Neopagan movement in Romania, constituted by groups and organisations which promote the rebuilding of an ethnic religion and spirituality of the Romanians, through a process of reconnection to their ancient Dacian and Thracian roots (Bakó & Hubbes 2011: p. 129). Thus it is Dacian Neopaganism, or Romanian Neopaganism.

Bakó and Hubbes (2011: p. 131) have defined Zalmoxianism, likewise to the other ethnic religious revivals of Europe, as a reconstructionist ethno-paganism. The religion takes its name from Zalmoxis, at the same time the name of the primordial god and the archetype of the enlightened man in Paleo-Balkan mythology.

Origins

The reconstruction of ancient Dacian and Thracian religion and mythology has been strictly connected with the field of dacology (Bakó & Hubbes 2011: p. 137). Amongst contemporary supporters of Zalmoxianism, the emigrant dacologist Octavian Sărbătoare even proposed to make it the official of Romania (Bakó & Hubbes 2011: p. 140).

Gebeleizis Association

Far from being the only Zalmoxian group in Romania, the “Gebeleizis Association” (Romanian: Societatea Gebeleizis) has been the most studied formation (Bakó & Hubbes 2011: p. 136). It has 500 members split into 15 branches (Bakó & Hubbes 2011: p. 149). The core values of the organisation are expressed by its motto “One Family, One Nation, One Territory” (Romanian: O Familie, Un Neam, Un Teritoriu) (Bakó & Hubbes 2011: p. 143); for the ideas promoted, the Gebeleizis Association has been subject of media scandal, and accused of extremism (Bakó & Hubbes 2011: p. 142).

Zamolxe group

Another group is the Zamolxe, based in Bucharest, whose high priest is Alexander Michael. They worship the old Thraco-Dacian pantheon of gods, and claim that the name “Zalmoxis” comes from zamol, meaning “earth”.

References

Rozália Klára Bakó, László-Attila Hubbes. 2011. Religious Minorities’ Web Rhetoric: Romanian and Hungarian Ethno-Pagan Organizations. Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies, 10(30): p. 127-158. URL: http://jsri.ro/ojs/index.php/jsri/article/view/550

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