Again news from the Vatopedi monastery regarding the real estate deals. Today, Abbot Ephraim was called personally by Bartolommeo in the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to give a statement. The monk who became famous for his banking abilities had to answer questions about the real estate deals, which exceed all limits of human imagination as well as to questions about his arrogant and insolent behavior in front of the Greek parliament members. As grreporter.info already informed you, at the beginning of the week Ephraim and his assistant Arsenii arrived at the Greek parliament with new black luxury jeeps, accompanied by bodyguards. They gave in their written statements and refused to answer questions to the committee, which investigates their case.

After a one and a half hours conversation between the Ecumenical Patriarch and Ephraim, Bartolommeo asked for the abbot’s resignation and he received it right away. Ephraim will return to Vatoped as a simple monk. The official resignation will be sent to the Ecumenical Patriarch in the next few days, after which a new Abbot will be assigned to the monastery. The Mount Athos monasteries are not under direct control by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, but Bartolommeo is their spiritual leader.

In the meanwhile Christians were outraged after seeing a report on channel ANT1, which showed the garage of the Vatopedi monastery, which costs 200 000 Euros, and the luxury cars in it. The report also shows moments from the monks’ everyday living, where they sail in expensive yachts, fish, and have fun.