Athens, June 24, 2021
Photo: orthodoxia.info
Seven metropolitans of the Orthodox Church of Greece were injured to varying degrees yesterday when a disgruntled former priest through acid on them.
The hierarchs, Metrpolitans Nikodemos of Kassandreia, Kallinikos of Arta, Andreas of Driinoupolis, Dionysios of Zakynthos, Kyrillos of Kifissia, Demetrios of Goumenissa and Antonios of Glyfada, were gathered at Petraki Monastery in Athens to hear the ecclesiastical court case against the priest, who was allegedly discovered to be in possession of 1.8 grams of cocaine in 2018, reports the BBC.
Photo: orthodoxtimes.com The bishops were immediately rushed to the hospital together with several others who were injured. Three of the metropolitans are in serious condition, according to kathimerini.gr.
“God protected us, and me personally. I had an icon in my pocket and holy water and I think that helped a lot. My eyes are very good, there are burns on my face but I was told by the hospital that it’s not serious,” commented Met. Kallinikos of Arta.
The attacker, Theophylactos Kombos, was a hieromonk formerly of the staff of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, who later moved to the Diocese of Veria in Greece. The Synodal Appellate Court was meeting to confirm the earlier decision to defrock him in connection with the drug charges. Unbeknownst to anyone at the monastery, he had arrived with two bottles of acid in his bag.
Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias visited the victims in the hospital and said one was already undergoing plastic surgery.
Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou condemned the attack, and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke with Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, assuring him that “the state will offer all possible medical assistance for the victims’ speedy recovery.”
Meanwhile, the former hieromonk was arrested and taken to the Athens police station. He told the media that he “attacked them because they defrocked me,” saying the drug case was a conspiracy. His lawyer apologized for the attack, saying, “My client needs psychiatric care.”
The former priest had attempted suicide 1.5 months ago, the lawyer also revealed.
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