Vicar splits with his Romanian male model husband

A vicar who married a Romanian male model 54 years his junior has been left homeless and nearly broke after splitting up just days after giving him a flat.

Retired Rev Philip Clements, 79, married Florin Marin, 24, after meeting on a dating site and sold his home in Sandwich, Kent, to buy the flat 1,500 miles away in Romania.

Just days after Mr Clements handed over the keys to the new flat in Bucharest to Mr Marin, the pair had an argument and split up.

Rev Philip Clements, 79, pictured with his husband Florin Marin, 24, sold his home in Kent, pictured, for £214,750 before moving to Romania and buying a flat in Bucharest 

Rev Clements, left, and Mr Marin married at a ceremony in Ramsgate in April this year

Rev Clements, left, and Mr Marin married at a ceremony in Ramsgate in April this year

The couple fell out after moving to Romania as Mr Marin liked to go out 'partying' 

The couple fell out after moving to Romania as Mr Marin liked to go out ‘partying’ 

Mr Clements returned to the UK empty handed and now has to rely on friends for a roof over his head.

The pair made a stance against Church of England rules that bar clergymen from same-sex marriage and wed in a low-key ceremony at Ramsgate Register Office in April this year.

While married life started off well things soon went downhill as the pensioner said became isolated in a country where he had few friends and did not speak the language.

The couple fell out over Mr Marin’s late-night partying which he told his husband ‘was not for old people’.

Mr Clements said: ‘We went off in April and we had a great time. We used to go out to the cinema and shopping. He makes me laugh. We’d laugh a lot.

‘I came over to England for some medical appointments for a fortnight in late August. When I returned, we had a disagreement.

‘I thought he was unreasonable. I take some responsibility for it too but I decided there wasn’t a future.

‘I was very lonely, not knowing the language or having any friends.

The pair married in April but had split up only five months later after Rev Clements signed over the deeds of the property he purchased in Bucharest with the proceeds of the Kent sale

The pair married in April but had split up only five months later after Rev Clements signed over the deeds of the property he purchased in Bucharest with the proceeds of the Kent sale

Rev Clements, right, returned to Britain in September following their split 

Rev Clements, right, returned to Britain in September following their split 

‘Florin would spend a lot of time going out. He used to go to bed very late, sometimes 5am in the morning having been out nightclubbing or watching films.

‘He said I wasn’t allowed to go clubbing. It wasn’t for old people. In my heart I didn’t accept it but I trusted him.’

To the relief of his friends in Britain who begged Mr Clements to come home, he returned on September 24.

Mr Clements originally bought the flat in Bucharest in his name but had put it in to Mr Marin’s name just a couple of days before their big fallout.

And having signed the flat over to Mr Marin, he found himself homeless, relying on friends to put him up.

He said: ‘When things were going well, I wanted him to have security when I die. I’m 80 next year.

‘I didn’t want there to be any doubt about occupancy when I die. He appreciated me doing it but I didn’t know we were going to break up so soon.

Rev Clements spent 50 years in the Church of England as a vicar before his retirement 

Rev Clements spent 50 years in the Church of England as a vicar before his retirement 

‘I left very sadly and very unhappy. My friends in England were telling me I should leave him but I left with a very heavy heart.

‘He came with me to the airport. I’ve lost everything really. I’ve lost my house and was in a poor state.

‘I stayed with friends on alternate weeks until I was given a granny flat attached to one of my friend’s houses.

‘I regret selling my house. I bought the flat.

‘It was my suggestion to go to Romania and Florin liked the idea but I think we would have been better off if we’d stayed at my house in Eastry.

‘I wouldn’t have been so isolated and he would have had things to do.’

The Church of England’s rules state that clergy cannot enter same-sex marriages. Civil partnerships are allowed but must remain celibate.

The former parish priest said he had repressed his sexuality throughout his career because of the church’s stance on homosexuality but is now able to be his ‘true-self’.

He met Mr Marin, a model, on an online dating site almost three years ago and was attracted to his ‘looks and flamboyancy’.

Since leaving Romania the couple no longer take each other’s surnames, but things have improved between them and Mr Marin has even visited England for a couple of days.

Mr Clements added: ‘Florin started to contact me again. I hadn’t lost my feelings for him so I reciprocated.

‘We started texting and speaking on video and we’re still in touch now.

‘Things were very amicable. It was as if he did regret what has happened.

‘I believe in giving someone a second chance. There’s still something that binds us. We’re not enemies.

‘He’s not doing it for money because I haven’t got much money left.

‘The two of us suggested that one day we would have a flat in a town – Dover or Canterbury.

‘He’s renting out the flat and he said he’d put part of that towards the rent.

‘I don’t want a divorce and he says he doesn’t want anybody else.

‘I’ve asked him to tell me if he finds somebody else and I would understand.’



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