Great shame coming to the Church?

From the New York Post:

A nun at a Greek Orthodox church in Queens turned over to the NYPD $260,000 in cash and 100 gold coins mysteriously left behind by the head of the congregation shortly after he left the country, The Post has learned.

Metropolitan Paisios Loulourgas, the abbot of St. Irene’s Church and Monastery in Astoria for more than 30 years, was summoned to Greece earlier this month to meet with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the head of the Orthodox Church, according to parishioners.

When Loulourgas left, he told nuns to safeguard a bag, but didn’t say what was inside, sources said.

HEY, ABBOT! Metropolitan Paisios Loulourgas (above), abbot of St. Irene's Church in Queens, behind $260,000 before traveling to Greece.


Sister Christonymphi Fitzpatrick eventually opened it up, discovered the dough and panicked, the sources said.
On Nov. 6, she brought the stash to the 114th Precinct station house. Cops vouchered the money and still have it.
The sources said no criminality is suspected.

But the Orthodox Church is holding its own probe, according to the National Herald, a paper for Greek Americans.

The Herald reported that a three-person delegation from Istanbul had arrived in Astoria to investigate the situation — and that Loulourgas was meeting with top church officials in Greece.

The delegation ordered that the chambers of Loulourgas, Fitzpatrick and Deputy Abbot Bishop Vikentios be sealed, the paper said.

The report added that Loulourgas has now left St. Irene’s, citing health issues.

A female employee at the church would say only that Loulourgas had left “to talk to the patriarch.”

A parishioner who has been going to the church for about 30 years said yesterday that Loulourgas “is very honest.”

“He’s extremely intelligent. It’s like listening to God,” said the man, who declined to give his name.

When asked about the cash, the parishioner said, “It’s to build the monastery. That’s what we believe.”
Neither he nor the employee had been told that Loulourgas had resigned.

Comments

  1. The title is the only shame I see here. Typical dirty media….the man has already been convicted even though there are no charges. Who’s to say it isn’t his own money which he kept in a bag instead of a bank? We all “react” instead of remaining silent. As all those in the Priesthood, he is merely a man. And no man is without sin. Let’s pray for him and all those in the Priesthood. And also to those who are passing judgment without hearing the facts.

  2. ti les re malakoboukoma, skatoilithie

  3. Wow…nice language. Is that modern Greek or Koine that you are teaching us?

    Dean

  4. This post is disappointing. It was a waste of time. It was full of errors starting with the second paragraph with seems to indicate that the trip to Greece was to see the Patriarch who resides in Instanbul. Also this article sheds not new light. It only haphazardly presents facts and characterizes parishoners as zombies.

  5. According to the National Herald, the crimes include sexual abuse of minors, a very serious crime indeed if true (see this link ).

  6. So now the enemy is at the gates; they have broken through into the sanctuary; they use the media not just to attack those Ordained in the Holy Church who have sinned greatly, but to attack Christ in any way possible. So what is our role as Orthodox Christians? Is it not to pray fervently for the salvation of all men, remembering not to judge and praying that God will clense repentant hearts. And for those baptized Orthodox, ordained into the Holy Priesthood, Diaconate and Episcopacy, if you are guilty of these moral crimes then do not stand and serve at the Holy Altar. Seek out places of repentance; accept your loss of your eccliesial rank, and begin a repentance unto your last breath, for no man liveth who does not sin, but a man active in the sins of the flesh stands before the Holy of Holies in Prelest.
    Gerasimos+