Monks’ lawyers demand halt to church probe

Lawyers representing the Osiou Avakoum monks called on Thursday for an end to the investigations and procedures conducted by the archdiocese, citing alleged prior sentencing of the monks for purported crimes.

Meanwhile, an alleged fake social media account linked to a priest associated with Tamassos Bishop Isaias was deleted.

Anastasios Vavouskos, the monks’ lawyer for the ecclesiastical case, stated that the Holy Synod had not responded to any of the letters sent by the monks’ legal representatives.

According to Vavouskos, the lack of communication from the Holy Synod has left the monks’ lawyers in limbo.

He added that the church has not even made the charges the monks are facing clear, and the whole procedure violates church law.

Vavouskos said the case against them should be scrapped by the church, as Isaias doled out a sentence for the crimes the Synod is examining.

Regarding testimonies about forgiveness sought by the monks from Archbishop Georgios on the day they were brought to the Tamasos bishopric by Isaias under questionable circumstances, Vavouskos was adamant: “All these have been answered. They were the product of pressure and coercion. They were pressured and forced, so they should not be considered.”

Earlier, a fake Facebook profile emerged, allegedly created by supporters of the monks, presenting a priest involved in bringing the monks to the bishopric as willing to testify against Isaias.

However, the priest, who chose to remain anonymous, clarified to Philenews that the profile was fake and he never made any claims about testifying against Isaias.

The priest explained that he had been called to testify in police investigations regarding the monks’ claims against Isaias.

A day ago, ex-police chief Kypros Michaelides, who is part of a throne committee of the bishopric with far-right Elam leader Christos Christou, discussed the whole controversial confession procedure a month ago.

The monks hold that they were coerced into the confession and have said the police and secret service were involved the procedures to bring them in to confess to Isaias and Georgios.

Michaelides said the day of the confession, which he and Christou were privy to, there were tears from all parties including Isaias.

“The archbishop spoke with the Archimandrites 2-3 times over the speaker phone, [and they] asked for mercy and forgiveness from the church and God. For everything the Metropolitan had in mind. The archbishop, with fatherly affection, told them that God is great and that he will help them and forgive them.

“Many times, throughout the process I happened to see the bishop in tears at what was happening and what we were hearing,” he said.