The Monastery of Saint Habakkuk in Fterikoudi has become embroiled in a financial scandal, with two monks alleging they were pressured to provide tens of thousands of euros to support the recent archepiscopal election campaign of the Tamassos and Oreinis Bishop, Isaias.
The monks’ claims are based on SMS message exchanges, though the Bishop’s entourage denies the accusations.
They assert it is customary for monasteries to provide financial assistance to their bishopric and characterise the monks’ version of events as “unacceptable.”
The Bishop’s representatives claim the funds were a loan and that suggestions they were used for electoral purposes, which hadn’t begun at the time of the alleged transaction, are “ridiculous.”
Philenews reports that an alternative narrative suggests the controversy arose after Bishop Isaias requested a financial update from the Monastery. According to this account, the monks’ initial refusal and unclear responses to subsequent inquiries triggered suspicion.
In response to the scandal, a financial audit of all monasteries within the Bishopric of Tamassos and Oreinis is underway. This was requested by Isaias.
Officials are also developing a standardised auditing protocol for both monasteries and churches within the Bishopric.
A source who spoke to Philenews said that the audits are not solely a response to the Saint Habakkuk case but a timely initiative to ensure transparency and adherence to proper financial management.
They aim to reiterate guidelines for interacting with the faithful and emphasise that donations should be voluntary, not coerced “in exchange for anything,” as allegedly occurred at Saint Habakkuk.
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