Athonite monks publish protest against the arrest of Abbot Ephraim / Православие.Ru

Athens, January 11, 2011

A protest has been published by monks of Mt. Athos against the holding of Vatopedi Abbot Ephraim under arrest. In it the decision by the appellate court is called “unfair and unacceptable”, and is described as an antagonistic act against the entire Church, monasticism, and the Holy Mountain, reports Sedmitza.ru, citing the Greek religion information agency, Romfea.

The Athonite monks’s opinion differs notably from the indeterminate position taken by the Synod of the Constantinople Patriarchate regarding the imprisonment of Fr. Ephraim, reports Romfea. The Patriarchate has stated that it has always avoided intervening with any judicial matters and investigations, due to respect of judicial independence, and will continue its policy, especially as far as this case is concerned, in which the Patriarchate does not know the content of the relevant papers in the case.