The monastery of Saint Avvakum in the village of Fterikoudi, Cyprus, had been turned into a “Big Brother” monastery, as cameras had been installed in many places which, apart from colour images, also recorded sound, despite the fact that this is expressly forbidden by law.

As the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection, Irene Loizidou Nikolaidou, has explained, the recording of sound is considered a particularly intrusive measure for security purposes and is not allowed.

However, what worries the thousands of believers who visited the monastery is the possibility of recording what some of them said in their confessions, as there were cameras in the confessional area as well.

An investigation is being carried out to establish where the cameras were being used, who was operating them and whether there was access to the material they were recording by people outside the monastery.

The monks’ side is raising allegations of interference by the brother of Metropolitan Tamasou Isaiah, who works in the National Intelligence Service in a field related to surveillance.

According to reports, the Metropolitan’s brother was at the Metropolis on the evening of March 5, when the monks were brought there for “interrogation” by the Metropolitan.

The former head of the Cyprus Police was also present. K. Michaelides and the leader of the Golden Dawn of Cyprus H. Christou, who have been appointed throne commissioners!

The two monks who have been accused (Abbot Nektarios and Archimandrite Porphyrios), will possibly today be brought before the investigative committee appointed by the Holy Synod to explain the “miracles”, the money found in a safe and the “carnal offences”, which they allegedly committed and which have been recorded by the security circuit with sound and image.

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At the same time, an investigation is also being conducted by the police, for the possible commission of criminal offences, while an investigation is also being conducted for money laundering by the “MOKAS” (Anti-Cover-Up Offences Unit).

The situation at the monastery was not unknown, as “RIK” revealed that the former Archbishop Blessed Chrysostomos II had drawn the attention of the relevant Metropolitan of Tamassos, Isaiah, who defended the monks whom he is now denouncing. In fact, the former Archbishop had refused to accept an invitation to attend the inauguration of the monastery and had returned it as unacceptable in 2021.

The accused monks claim that the complaint against them was made by the Metropolitan of Tamassos because they were resisting his constant pressure to send money.

However, reports indicate that the Metropolitan of Limassol has a visualised meeting with the Abbot of the Monastery in which he asks him to put his hand on the Gospel and swear that he never told anyone that he was asking for large sums of money.