The two accused Avakoum monastery monks, Nektarios and Porfyrios, did not answer to the charges they are facing on Thursday and proceedings have been postponed anew till March 18.

The monks appeared before the Nicosia criminal court again on Tuesday to answer charges of money laundering and defrauding.

The defence lawyer asked for extra time to study evidence presented by the prosecution just last week.
The prosecution did not object.

The suspects will remain free.

It is the latest in a series of postponements. On December 19, the monks did not respond to the charges and proceedings were postponed till January 21, after the defence requested further details. The case was further postponed till February 13 pending the submission of evidence by the prosecution.

The Holy Synod had already ruled in favour of upholding the disgraced monks’ defrocking, but they are also facing criminal charges.

Charges brought to the religious court and listed in its latest ruling, include lewdness, “sodomy, impurity, and cohabitation”, posting and distributing indecent photos, “acts of solicitation”, fraud and misleading believers with false miracles.

According to the verdict, Nektarios, the apparent ringleader of the whole ignominious affair, went so far as to pretend that Saint Avakoum had taken over his body, faking his voice, and also faked fainting after “exorcisms” – all to extort money from believers.