Greece

Abbot Ephraim and Monk Arsenios of Vatopedi Monastery of Mt. Athos testified regarding contentious real estate exchange. With their testimonies, the case concerning land deals with the public sector is heading towards its final lap following appeals against earlier...

The trial for the Vatopedi Monastery land swap scandal started on Monday without any of the politicians allegedly involved standing trial. However, it was adjourned for March 23 because the courtroom was deemed not sufficient. The main defendants are the...

Greece ’s Supreme Court indicted 14 individuals earlier today over the Vatopedi Monastery land swap scandal that became public in August 2008. The court struck down a Supreme Court deputy prosecutor's reversal of the indictments, requested by three of...

Father Ephraim of the Holy and Great Monastery of Vatopedi, was suing Greek journalist, Kostas Vaxevanis for two of his articles published on the Internet and in print, concerning exchanges between the monastery and the state. The court partially vindicated the...

The 14 defendants concerning the holy exchanges between the Greek State and the Monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos, Greece will be tried by a Three-member Court of Appeal for Felonies in Athens. Specifically, the decree indicts Archimandrite Ephraim, the...

The floating monastery of Saint Nicholas (Agios Nikolaos) in Porto Lagos, Xanthi in northern Greece is a unique religious monument

The monastery of Saint Nicholas (Agios Nikolaos) in Porto Lagos, Xanthi in Thrace is a unique religious monument, not simply because of its location but also due to the serenity and beauty which surround it. The small monastery, which is...

Actor Jonathan Jackson, who shot to fame as Lucky Spencer on the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital, offered his Emmy Award to the Greek Orthodox monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos. In a simple ceremony at the monastery, the American...

US Ambassador in Athens Geoffrey Pyatt has visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mount Athos in northern Greece, describing the religious community as "a truly spiritual place". Pyatt, who visited the monastic community of Vatopedi on Monday, was impressed by...

An Athens criminal court decided on Tuesday, that the exchange of lands between the Greek government and the Vatopedi monastery in northern Greece is not a "scandal," and acquitted all 14 defendants. Among those acquitted were the monastery’s abbot, Ephraim...

A monk and the abbot of a Mt Athos monastery have been found guilty for crimes that will see them serving prison time if they are found, sources have reported. Antypas and Monk Methodios of the Mt. Athos monastery have been sentenced...

According to a representative of the Mount Athos, Abbot Efraim of Vatopedi is suffering from an infection, which has caused him a high fever and destabilization of his blood sugar levels. The Abbot remains in a cell at the Monastery...

Mount Athos Abbot Ephraim of Vatopedi has been summoned to appear before state magistrate in order to give evidence concerning the land swaps between the monastery and the state. The date is set for 29 November, in which Abbot Ephraim will...

A parliamentary preliminary investigation committee on Friday night recommended the referral of five former New Democracy Ministers to a Special Judicial Council over the controversial Vatopedi-state land swaps affair. By a majority vote of the ruling PASOK MPs sitting on...

The precise terms of lending from the bank, Marfin Egnatia Bank to Vatopedi Monastery will be requested tomorrow, by the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry, following the proposal made by the head of New Democracy’s MP’s, Nick Dendias to...