Scandal-hit monks defrocked threaten lawsuit

After months of wrangling, three Osiou Avakoum monks were defrocked by the Holy Synod on Wednesday, a decision the clerics decried as unfair and said they would sue.

Archimandrites at the monastery Nektarios Georgiou, Porfyrios Ttoulou and Avakoum Christofi have been stripped of all priestly duties but will retain their monastic status.

The monks were embroiled in a major scandal that rocked the church, where videos emerged of them engaging in ‘sexually unethical acts’, as well as their involvement in allegedly scamming money out of believers.

Nektarios and Porfyrios also face criminal charges for money laundering and defrauding.

Following the Holy Synod’s decision, the archimandrites said they would sue Tamasos Bishop Isaias, charging the decision and entire process was unfair.

“No fight has been lost. We’ll have our words with Isaias in the civil courts,” they said after the announcement.

Though the conceded they made mistakes, they did not wish to specify what they were, stressing instead the entire process was a character assassination.

“They presented us as the biggest criminals of the times. We’re humans. We’ve made mistakes but the church found an excuse to pretend its cleaning up its name.”

The monks said this would not be the end and plan to write a book called ‘Church: Cyprus’ mafia state’.

Additionally, they will build their own monastery.

The monks did not let the former police leadership off the hook, suggesting Tamasos Bishop Isaias’ close connections with the force led to a biased investigation.

Police came under heavy fire for its handling of the case, after it emerged its members had witnessed boxes of money transferred from the monastery without intervening to launch an immediate investigation.

There was also harsh criticism for the delay in their arrests. Though the scandal emerged in March for the apparent sex and cash scandal, the monks were arrested in June as court heard of a €1.1 million in tax evasion which allegedly unfolded at the monastery.

Asked if they will keep the black robes of their monastic status, the monks were relentless. “The robes will stay glued to our skin, till the grave, whether some people like it or not.”

A source told CNA the monks will not be allowed to carry out any priestly duties related to ceremonies such as weddings or baptism but may keep their monastic status.

The six-member Holy Synod was comprised of Kitiou Bishop Nektarios, Limassol Bishop Athanasios, Bishop Constantias Vasiliou, Karpasia Bishop Christoforous, Arsinois Pangratios and Amathountos Nikolaou.