Avakoum monks had salaries paid

The two monks from the Osiou Avakoum monastery who are under investigation for alleged money laundering and sexual activity with each other were paid their salaries, their lawyers said on Saturday.

They said Tamassos Bishop Isaias had on March 5 handed down instructions that the monks, archimandrites Nektarios and Porfyrios, as well as the monastery’s hieromonk Avakoum Christofis, be placed on leave for three months with full pay.

However, a week later, that decision had been changed to stipulate that the three would not be paid while under investigation.

This decision was changed again on Friday, however, and the trio received payment of the salaries they had been due since March 12. The lawyers said the decision “vindicated our clients”.

The monks’ lawyers had on Thursday argued that the investigative process undertaken by the church had been unlawful.

Reports on Wednesday had suggested that the monks faced defrocking by the church. If they opposed their defrocking, they could appeal the decision.

One of the monks’ lawyers, Anastasios Vavouskos, said “it is now the responsibility of the Holy Synod to prove that there is no such pre-determined decision [about defrocking] and it should exonerate our clients.”

Sources from the church had said they hope to complete their investigations into the monks by the end of the month.

The same sources said that the ecclesiastical court will probably not be able to reach a majority decision and an appeal would be filed, which will then lead to the Holy Synod deciding ahead of its scheduled meeting in June.

They had been found with €807,000 in cash and captured on camera engaging in sexual activity with one another in March.

It was also alleged that they were using artificial myrrh on a cross which would have a stream eject from it, which they reportedly falsely claimed was a sign of a miracle.

Police began to investigate the matter, securing access to the monks’ bank accounts, land registry and other services so as to further investigate the allegations against them.

The monks had filed the appeal to have the money returned to a few weeks ago.

The appeal, submitted by the monks and two of the public to whom the money appears to belong, was only given to the legal service and the anti-money laundering force Mokas.

However, the court insists that it should have also been served to other interested parties.

The monks’ appeal states that not all the facts were presented by the police to secure the freezing orders for the money and property and that if the court had known all the facts, it would not have issued said orders.