The Monastery of Saint Habakkuk which is embroiled in a financial scandal was operating as a “miracle factory,” Phileleftheros reported on Monday.
Abbott Nectarios, the spiritual leader of the monastery, had documented instances of 100 families who, despite facing infertility issues, were reportedly blessed with children through the intercession of Saint Habakkuk.
In an online interview, the Abbot shared these claims, stating that these families conceived “in the natural way” after seeking the saint’s intervention.
One story comes from a woman, considered a spiritual child of Abbot Nectarios, who described her experience as nothing short of miraculous. During a religious festival at the monastery, the woman and her husband received a special blessing from the Abbot, which as she writes helped her become pregnant, despite previous medical advice that only IVF could offer them a chance of conceiving, with no guarantees of success.
The monastery’s official social media channels shared this story, garnering thousands of views. A post from July 4, 2022, titled “Saint Habakkuk miraculously grants a child…”, detailed the event and attributed the miracle to relics found inside the monastery.
The woman at the centre of this story shared her journey. Despite being told by her doctor to consider IVF after a year of unsuccessful attempts to conceive, she found hope following a visit to the monastery. “My daughter, in a few months the baby will come,” the Abbot assured her during her visit, a statement that filled her with a newfound sense of hope.
She conceived naturally a few months later.
“When God wills, natural things can be overturned, as can the laws of nature,” Abbot Nectarios said.
This sentiment was echoed in many testimonials and stories shared by the monastery online, painting a picture of a place where miracles are a tangible reality.
Curing cancer
The Abbot also spoke of healings attributed to Saint Habakkuk, including the remission of aggressive cancers and other seemingly incurable conditions.
One account involved a woman from Deftera, who, after being blessed by the Abbot with the holy relics, experienced a miraculous recovery from metastatic cancer.
The stories shared widely online and through word of mouth, attracted visitors to the Monastery.
Case background
At the heart of the alleged scandal is the discovery of a safe containing €800,000 and properties in Piraeus and Limassol, which are believed to be owned by two members of the monastery.
Authorities are probing whether these funds were derived from the donations of the faithful.
Two monks allegedly implicated in the financial fraud were also captured on camera engaging in sexual acts.
The cameras were reportedly set up by the monks themselves, to monitor individuals entering and exiting an office within the monastery and a room used as a bedroom.
Notably, the monastery’s website listed accounts for various monastery-related activities, be it contributions or other ventures asking for financial backing from believers.
Read more:
