Bishop Isaias of Tamassos has indefinitely extended the suspension of Abbot Nectarios and Monk Porphyrios of the Saint Habakkuk monastery due to an ongoing case involving alleged financial improprieties and misconduct. The monks are barred from performing any liturgical acts until a final decision is reached by the Church authorities.
Monks embroiled in the Osiou Avakoum monastery scandal have stated that the investigative committee’s procedures are illegal. The church’s 2021 ruling required investigative committees to have three members, while the church’s establishment charter stipulates five members.
Fact: Monks and their lawyers involved in the Avvakoum monastery scandal filed a memo to the church investigative committee arguing that the process being followed by the church was unlawful.
Two embroiled monks have been called to appear before the church investigative committee in relation to a monastery scandal.
The Minister of Interior rejected the hierarchical appeal against the construction of a monastery in a protected area in Cape Greco. The Bishopric of Constantia can either appeal to the judiciary or comply and demolish the building. The Minister offered to consider exchanging church land to relocate the monastery and protect the natural environment. If the Bishopric chooses to rectify the illegalities, it must follow the terms set by the Environmental Authority.
Fact: The court case over the Osiou Avakoum monastery scandal has been postponed until May 30 after the two monks involved filed an appeal to recover the €807,000 taken from them during the investigation.
Efforts have been made to reconcile the two sides in the Habakkuk Monastery scandal, but conditions are not yet conducive. The monks have sent messages to Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamasos to find a solution and withdraw mutual complaints to the police. The matter is now in the hands of the Holy Synod, and efforts are being made to find a compromise on the criminal issue. The final position of Metropolitan Isaiah will depend on the outcome of investigations into the origin of the €807,000.
Monks suspected of involvement in the Osiou Avakoum monastery scandal in Fterikoudes, Nicosia, have requested permission to return to live at the monastery.
The Cyprus Bar Association has lodged a police complaint against two lawyers representing monks implicated in the Osiou Avakoum monastery scandal. The complaint specifically concerns a letter sent to the Holy Synod’s investigative committee urging for the dismissal of charges against the monks and advocating for Archbishop Georgios to take control of the situation. The monks were alleged to have been found with €800,000 in cash, properties in Greece and Limassol, and were caught on CCTV footage having sex with each other.
Fact: Archimandrite Nektarios broke his silence on the investigation at the Osiou Avakoum monastery, denying allegations of sexual relations with another monk and stating that they were illegally kicked out from the monastery.