Filenews 13 March 2024
Shocking and irrefutable are the evidence submitted before the Holy Synod regarding the sexual offenses allegedly committed by two monks of the Monastery of Saint Habakkuk, something that even the last citizen may come to if he becomes aware of the material that was put before the Synods.
Only part of the evidence put before us is sufficient to conclude the guilt of any clergyman who committed the offences under consideration. In fact, they would not even be tolerated by laymen.
Printed material shows that the offences were not limited to mere sexual acts, but the whole scene was interspersed with photographs which, apparently, were taken by participants and were probably considered provocative, not only depicting monks but even citizens who have nothing to do with the Church or with the spiritual guidance of believers.
In addition to visual material, there is also audio material, which constitutes an implicit admission of carnal acts. And if one could claim that the visual and audio material cannot be used in State Courts, in the Church it is enough to lead to the deposition of anyone who appears or is heard speaking and saying what the members of the Holy Synod heard and what, obviously, will be heard and presented before the six-member Synodal Court.
It is noted that the Court meets today in order to determine the procedure to be followed or to set timetables, taking into account (as "F" has already written) the coming of Easter, which the Hierarchy of the Church wishes to have some distance from the current scandal of the faithful.
Regarding the financial aspect of the case, the Church may have left its handling to the State, with a complaint filed before the Police by Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamassos and Orini, as a bishop concerned, but is monitoring the process. As is known, in addition to the complaints of the Metropolitan of Tamassos, which indirectly refers to the concealment of €807,000 on the part of the monks of the monastery of Saint Habakkuk, they complained that they gave Mr. Isaiah €450,000 for his election campaign, when he was a candidate for the archbishopric throne. The metropolitan's entourage rejects the allegations altogether and considers them fireworks. The metropolitan's entourage also finds it funny to claim that there are text messages or other material proving that he asked for or received money from the two monks and believes that what is said will collapse as unfounded. In fact, the position is expressed that the goal is to eat him as a hierarch because he dared to go to extremes by denouncing the financial management of the monastery.
In the midst of all this, the construction of the monastery remains in the middle, given that the €807,000 found in the safe (as in other investigated cases) is a presumption. As "F" is informed, the safe was not only opened in the presence of Abbot Nektarios, but he opened it himself, forming the security code. The abbot himself allegedly opened the second lock that existed for further security. "F" reports that most of the money was in €50 notes.
The diocese considers that the money belongs to the monastery (which belongs to the diocese), so an "operation to safeguard the money" was set up. The diocese claims that the receipt of the safe was done legally after the police were notified and so that there was no doubt about the amount and the whole process, ecclesiastical commissioners and priests of the diocese were called. However, the amount was not disputed.
Controversy still exists regarding the interrogations of the monks of the monastery of Saint Abakkum, which were allegedly conducted by Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamasos. The metropolitan's entourage takes the position that there were no 14-hour interrogations but concerned the interrogations of all the monks, the counting of money and generally the whole process, while denying that anyone was blackmailed. Along the same lines, the monks, when the collected documents were put before them, collapsed, admitting the accusations made against them by the metropolitan. Along the way, always according to the environment of the diocese, when the monks had contacts with people who influenced them, they changed course, since the admission automatically entailed the penalty of deposition.
Of course, this is one side and the police will also listen to the monks' version and through interrogations will try to find the edge. One of the questions that the police will try to answer is where the €807,000 was found, to whom they belong, whether it is black money or if there are receipts etc. It is noted, however, that the monastery conducted fundraisers and in some cases received significant amounts from believers, which were theoretically intended for the construction of the monastery or for other projects.
It is a characteristic video in which Abbot Nektarios appears to apologize to the faithful because every now and then he asks them for money for the construction of the monastery, saying, in fact, that he has turned into a beggar for the sake of Saint Habakkuk.
Rakos at the Synod of Tamassos Isaiah
However, the diocese of Tamassos is going through a period of sorrow with the events with the metropolitan himself feeling the weight of responsibility, as a familiar bishop. In fact, according to a post in Philenews, the metropolitan almost collapsed during the last session of the House last Friday.
The same information has him pleading with his brothers in Christ not to leave him exposed. Tamassos Isaiah allegedly favoured the summary deposition of the two monks, apparently considering that the evidence he testified spoke for itself and proved the allegations he made of carnal sins of monks of Saint Habakkuk.
Everything converged that a "happy" (for him) outcome of the case was possible, but the letters of the lawyers of the two monks and the allegations contained in them, changed the mood and the Church Hierarchy changed course. According to reports, Archbishop George and other Synodists were in favour of holding a trial before a Synodal Court, so that all views could be heard and the picture crystallized, so as not to give the impression to the people that the case was covered up.
In the end, not only did Synodists close to Tamassos Isaiah identify with the majority, but even Isaiah himself advocated bringing the case before a Synodal Court.
