Nicosia, Cyprus. The court case involving Avakoum monastery monks Nektarios and Porfyrios was postponed again on Friday and is now scheduled for May 27 at 9am. The court also approved changes to their restrictive measures, reducing their required police check-ins to once a week.
Adjournment and next hearing date
The adjournment followed a request by the prosecution for additional time to allow both sides to examine the possibility of reducing the indictment and agreeing on certain admissible facts.
Changes to restrictive measures
The defence requested an amendment to the restrictive measures imposed on the two men, asking that they be required to sign at a police station once a week instead of twice. The prosecution did not object and the request was granted.
The defendants will present themselves at the Ayios Dhometios police station every Thursday between 8am and 8pm.
Criminal charges
The two monks face charges of money laundering and fraud.
Religious proceedings and Holy Synod decision
Separately, the Holy Synod has upheld their defrocking. They also face proceedings before a religious court.
Charges brought before the religious court and listed in its latest ruling include lewdness, “sodomy, impurity and cohabitation,” posting and distributing indecent photos, “acts of solicitation,” fraud and misleading believers with fabricated miracles.
According to the verdict, Nektarios, described as the ringleader of the affair, went so far as to pretend that Saint Avakoum had taken over his body, faking his voice and staging fainting episodes during “exorcisms” to extort money from believers.
What do you think the next court hearing on May 27 will clarify about the case against the two monks?
