Cross-examination continues in the Saint Avvakoum Monastery trial

On October 14, 2026, the trial of the monks from the Saint Avvakoum Monastery continued at the Nicosia Criminal Court. The proceedings focused on the cross-examination of prosecution witness Father Dionysios Koptidis by lawyer Kostis Efstathiou, who represents the primary defendant, Monk Nektarios. The questioning centered on the conditions under which the monks allegedly admitted to various transgressions, the management of funds and assets transferred to the Tamasos Metropolis, and the specific nature of the financial charges involved.

Defense counsel raised significant questions regarding a sum of €790,000 associated with the monastery’s safes and the timeline for gathering economic evidence. The defense probed the circumstances surrounding the signed declarations of the monks and the Metropolis's public call for citizen complaints. Father Dionysios testified that during the initial meeting at the Metropolis, specific financial details were not fully examined, as these emerged later during the subsequent investigation.

The case includes allegations of both financial and sexual misconduct, as well as potential breaches of ecclesiastical and canon law. The defense challenged the witness on the clarity of the accusations presented to Monk Nektarios, noting that the investigation and the specific details of financial irregularities were formally established only after the case reached the public domain and formal inquiries began.