The acting abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Habakkuk, Archimandrite Nektarios Georgiou, posted an icon of the Virgin Mary on social media with a message about understanding without words. Archimandrites Nektarios and Porphyrios are involved in an ecclesiastical scandal and are expected to appear before the Investigative Committee of the Holy Synod on May 13.
Archbishop Georgios called for an end to leaks related to the scandal at the Holy Monastery of St. Habakkuk, expressing concern over unrest among the faithful. He emphasized the need for a thorough investigation of issues concerning not only the Holy Monastery of St. Habakkuk but also other monasteries, dioceses, and the broader Church of Cyprus. Archbishop Georgios stressed the importance of clarity on these matters for the Church to continue its spiritual work and advocated for both ecclesiastical and state justice to address the situation.
The text discusses the illegal dissemination of visual material from the Holy Monastery of Saint Habakkuk, highlighting that the videos, sourced from Closed Circuit Video Surveillance (CCTV) systems within the monastery, unlawfully recorded sound. The Commissioner for Personal Data Protection, Eirini Loizidou Nicolaidou, emphasized the illegality of audio recording by such systems and has sought clarification from the Cyprus Police regarding the legality of the CCTV installations, including their placement, purpose, and potential violation of third-party rights.
Bishop Isaiah of Tamasos testified before the Investigative Committee of the Holy Synod regarding a scandal at the Holy Monastery of St. Habakkuk. He was the first to testify as an accuser in this case, which he initially presented to the Holy Synod. The committee plans to hear from the two accused monks and call forth prosecution and defense witnesses. Bishop Isaiah’s testimony was comprehensive, and the committee even operated on a Saturday. The evidence presented includes allegations of sexual acts, photographs, audio material, and financial fraud involving €807,000 found in a safe, which the two monks have denied. The Police will examine these allegations. Once the investigative committee completes its work, it will inform the Ecclesiastical Court, which will decide on the dismissal of the two accused monks, who are already suspended.
The president of ELAM, Christos Christou, was present at the Tamasos Bishopric during the transfer and counting of money from the safe of Saint Habakkuk, causing reactions from political parties. DISY, AKEL, DIKO, EDEK, DIPA, and the Greens are demanding explanations, with AKEL addressing the issue in the House of Representatives. Christou claims his presence was as an enthroned commissioner appointed by bishop Isaiah and criticizes AKEL’s stance towards the Church. Political parties have various reactions, with some denouncing ELAM and others calling for a thorough investigation into the events at Saint Habakkuk and the involvement of Christou. DIKO’s president, Nikolas Papadopoulos, emphasizes the need for investigation by competent authorities and raises questions about Christou’s presence and ELAM’s connections. EDEK suggests involving the Attorney General and lifting Christou’s parliamentary immunity, while DIPA emphasizes the importance of separating Church and State. The Greens suggest investigating Christou’s involvement in relation to the MPs’ code of ethics.
The lawyers of two archimandrites issued a statement regarding leaked video footage related to the placement of myrrh in the Holy Monastery of Saint Habakkuk. They stated that the video does not show any scheming of fraud, with one instructing the other to place myrrh and clarified that Monk Nektarios never claimed the myrrh was miraculous. They also mentioned that the video is allegedly manipulated to harm the priests. The lawyers welcomed the Synodal Court’s announcement, seeing it as a step towards proper investigation before the Ecclesiastical Court convenes, as they had requested in a letter to the Holy Synod.
– The hermitage of Saint Habakkuk was illegally erected and converted into the Holy Monastery of Saint Habakkuk by the Holy Synod on March 21, 2022.
– Efforts have been made for two years to legalize the monastery’s facilities through registration and road construction.
– Government departments have refused the retroactive legalization due to the monastery being built in a Natura 2000 Network area without environmental studies.
– Legal actions were initiated against the Monastery, the church committee, and Archimandrite Nektarios Georgiou for unauthorized constructions.
– The first inspection occurred in September 2022, and by March 2023, illegal buildings and lack of final approvals for various constructions were identified.
– On March 17, 2023, the Monastery was notified of the decision to take legal action, leading to a court case with 18 charges filed in July 2023, with a trial scheduled for March 26, 2024.
– Pressure was exerted to register a road leading to the monastery to grant legal access and obtain a license.
– The road falls within agricultural zone G3, protection zone Z1, the Special Protection Zone of the Natura 2000 Network named Madari – Papoutsa, and the Community Importance Area named Fountoukodasi Pitsilias, and is a known migratory bird corridor.
– The Department of Environment emphasized the negative impacts of road widening on the Natura 2000 Network areas.
– A meeting on March 21, 2023, discussed the road’s registration and construction, requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment study for approval.
– The Game and Fauna Service opposed the registration of roads through Nature Protection areas to prevent encouraging residential development in these areas.
– The Department of Environment had no objection to issuing a license for the legalization of the illegally erected cells and auxiliary spaces at the hermitage as of a month after the March 21, 2023 request for opinions.
The six-member Holy Synod, led by Bishop of Kitium Nectarios, is expected to decide on the procedural course for the case of the Holy Monastery of Saint Habakkuk. The meeting, which took place behind closed doors, included Bishops Konstantias Vasilios, Limassol Athanasios, Karpasia Christophoros (replacing the bishop of Tamassos and Oreini), Amathus Nikolaos, and Arsinois Pancratius (replacing the bishop of Morphou). The decision-making process will not involve any external statements.