Christian protestors have demanded a town in Russia cease production of condoms in a new factory because they believe the items are in violation of their faith and damaging to the name of their community.
The problem has arisen because the town's name, Bogolyobovo, translates as "God Lovers".
The condoms were to include the name of the town on the package.
The devout Orthodox Christian townsfolk therefore feared that two new condom brands planned for 2018 would be marketed as "God Lovers Torex" and "God Lovers Gladiator". They also dispute any medical benefits of condom use and argue that their use constitutes "male abortion".
Russian media reported this week that after protests and meetings with factory bosses, a truce has been agreed where production will go ahead but the town's name will not be on the condom packets in a way that could cause offence. Some protestors however still believe production itself should cease entirely.
Bogolyubovo, just over 100 miles north-east of Moscow, has suffered unemployment problems since the previous brick factory on the site closed. The new Bergus factory, which will also manufacture nappies and first aid products such as plasters, will create 200 new jobs. Already the company has invested more than £2 million with further investment planned.
The latest protest took place on this week's important Orthodox festival, the Presentation in the Temple of the Mother of God.
Orthodox believers gathered outside the local government adminstrative offices and sang spiritual poems, including the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, the Troparion and the Kontakion. They bore banners with slogans such as "No condom manufacture on a holy site" and "Mother of God, save us from desecration".
More than 3,000 people have signed a petition against the factory, including 1,000 from the town itself.
Bergus will begin nappy production at the town early in 2017 and is making plans to enter European markets.
Pavel Spichakov, managing director of KIT, a holding company of which Bergus is part, said the protests had been commpletely unexpected.
"I thought they would support the creation of jobs and tax revenue for the village," Spichakov told Tom Balmforth of RFE/RL's Russian Service.
Balmforth reported that the village carries the name of 12th-century Russian Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, who built the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, a UNESCO protected site.
