Church and State have different roles in monastery scandal, Christodoulides says

Everything that needs to be done regarding the ongoing church scandal involving the Osios Avakoum monastery is being done, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters after an event on Tuesday evening, Christodoulides reminded that the Church and the State have different roles.

Asked if he will have a meeting with the Archbishop to discuss the latest developments, the president said he has no plans to do so.

“No. The Church has a different role to that of the State,” he said.

“As far as the State’s role is concerned, which is to investigate this case, everything that needs to be done is being done,” he added.

It is a case, he added, “where everything needs to be done just as in any other case,” he said. “You understand, the role of the Church is separate, the role of the State is separate”.

“There are investigative authorities in the first instance, there are courts and everything that needs to be done, as in any other case will be done,” he reiterated.

Earlier in the day, it emerged that Elam head Christos Christou and ex-police chief Kypros Michaelides were present at the Tamasos bishopric when a money box containing €800,000 from the monastery in Fterikoudi was being counted.

The bishopric’s church committee was also called in by Bishop Isaias on the evening of March 5 to witness the counting, Christou said, despite not being listed as a member of the church committee.

Meanwhile, Michaelides was present at the bishopric as a member of the church committee and is expected to testify as a witness for Bishop Isaias in police investigations into the alleged extortion.