Witness in Abakum Monastery trial: Abbot's ecstasy was "pure theatre"
A prosecution witness in the Abakum Monastery fraud trial described how security camera footage convinced him to leave the community.
Witness reveals: Abbot's "ecstasy" was a performance
Revelatory testimony was given on Wednesday in the fraud trial of Abakum Monastery, according to Cyprus Mail. A prosecution witness described to the court how security camera footage from the monastery, which showed one of the defendants feigning religious ecstasy, prompted him to leave the community permanently.
The video was shown to him by officials from the Diocese of Tamassus shortly before his departure. It depicted Abbot Nektarios entering what the witness characterised as "alleged ecstasy", imitating Saint Porphyrios and subsequently collapsing.
"The alleged ecstasy was pure theatre," the witness stated in court, adding that the footage made him realise that he "did not belong with these people".
The prosecution authority noted that his account of "oppressive treatment" at the monastery appeared inconsistent with the fact that he had voted for Nektarios as abbot. The witness replied that he had voted "under orders" and that Nektarios had done "preliminary work" to secure the outcome, emphasising that the vote did not reflect a change in the abbot's behaviour towards him.
The defence presented photographs and video from the witness's two years at the monastery, including trips to Jerusalem and Constantinople, arguing that he had been treated the same as other monks. The witness rejected the comparison, remarking: "You have now shown me ten videos of ten seconds each and on the basis of this a period of two years that I spent at the monastery is being judged".
He also emphasised that material intended for the defendants' social media accounts would never have contained scenes of ill-treatment.
Regarding the monastery's finances, the witness acknowledged that the community covered his expenses for food, utilities, clothing and travel, but stated that he was unaware of where his salary ended up.
Nektarios and Porphyrios deny the charges, which include conspiracy to commit fraud, forgery, theft, money laundering and submission of false tax returns. The trial continues the following Monday, 28 September.
Source: Cyprus Mail