Ecclesiastical court ordered for monks in misconduct scandal (Updated)

The Holy Synod decided on Friday that two monks involved in an alleged sex and cash scandal will have to appear in front of a six-member ecclesiastical court to answer the charges brought against them.

According to the Synod’s decision, the two monks were summoned three times on Friday to appear at the emergency session convened to investigate the accusations against them.

However, the monks did not attend.

In a letter sent by the monks from Osiou Avakoum Monastery in Fterikoudi village through their lawyers, the two men denied all charges brought against them.

The letter sent by the lawyers to the synod said that the two had been pressured to sign letters admitting to the charges, which include having sexual relations with each other and gaining €800,000 for fake miracles and holy myrrh.

Allegedly, the letters were signed following a 14-hour interrogation by Bishop Isaias of Tamasos.

The bishop had, according to information, appeared a few weeks ago at the monastery, which belongs to the metropolis of Tamasos and Orinis, to examine the allegations.

In their statement after a five-hour-long meeting, the Synod also called on the faithful to remain ‘steadfast’ despite the scandal, emphasising that the church was taking the issue seriously.

They also said that members of the public, who may have any complaints about clerics should step forward so the church can examine them.

The synod convened at 10am to discuss the allegations and view the video footage, it emerged earlier.

The evidence was presented by Tamasos Isaias, who had also ordered the monastery to be shut down, while the investigation was ongoing.

Following the Synod’s announcement, the monk’s lawyers highlighted that the alleged ‘confessions’ and ‘order to defrock’ were signed under duress.

The lawyers, Adrianna Klaedes and Nikolaos Koulouris, also weighed in on the alleged sex scandal surrounding the two men.

They said that the sex scandal has nothing to do with the two men, but with a third former cleric of the same monastery, for whom individuals had filed a sexual abuse claim.

Klaedes and Koulouris added that their office represents the victims of that scandal, and that they have informed the Synod of the matter.

Earlier, Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis spoke about the incident to Alpha TV about the matter.

He clarified that there is no complaint to state authorities on this matter, and that the church is choosing not to file a complaint yet.

He said that the ministry is “discreetly” monitoring the situation.

When asked why the police haven’t been involved, despite the money given by the faithful for blessings, Hartsiotis said the police cannot investigate unless an official complaint has been filed.

Opposition Akel slammed Hartsiotis saying he was acting like a “lawyer for the metropolis” and should instead call for an investigation into the matter.

“He is the political head of the Ministry of Justice and must initiate the procedures for a criminal investigation of such a case.

“The authorities ought to do their job and all citizens should be equal before them, whether they wear robes or not.”

On Thursday, it emerged the synod would address the allegations, where two monks were allegedly found with €800,000 in their possession along with footage of them engaging in sexual activity.

Although no report has been filed with the police, sources indicated on Thursday that the Synod may request their involvement, along with that of the attorney-general.

The two monks were summoned to attend the session, where initial sources had indicated that they could face defrocking.

Speaking at the synod session, which took a lunch break, archbishopric spokesman Christakis Efstathiou said that equipment had been set up for Synod members to view some of the evidence captured on camera.

Meanwhile, in an earlier statement the evidence brought against the monks had been categorically denied by the two monks’ lawyers.

“The evidence presented to the metropolitan of Tamasos and Orini is fabricated and the product of criminal conduct (illegal recording, processing and use of audiovisual material),” the lawyers said in a statement.