The two Avakoum monks, Nektarios and Porphyrios, have pleaded not guilty to the 24 charges brought against them including misappropriation and theft of church funds before Nicosia court on Wednesday.

The charges, among them the theft of €806,660 during his time at Saint Avakoum, overwhelmingly concern Nektarios, with Porphyrios accused of involvement in seven of them.

Additionally, Nektarios is under suspicion for allegedly submitting inaccurate tax filings and attempting to interfere with a police investigation by urging his tenant not to provide a rental agreement.

He has pleaded not guilty to these allegations, as well as to all other charges against him.

The next hearing has been scheduled for September 11.

The Avakoum scandal began unfolding in March 2024, when authorities discovered €807,000 in cash in the possession the monks. The situation escalated after video footage surfaced, allegedly showing the monks engaging in sexual acts with one another.

It was further alleged that the monks had used artificial myrrh on a cross rigged to emit a liquid, reportedly claiming it was a miraculous sign in an alleged attempt to mislead the faithful.

Among the criminal charges the pair faces are conspiracy to defraud, felony offences, unlawful possession of over €63,000 in property, theft by an agent, forgery, use of forged documents, money laundering, false tax declarations and interference with judicial proceedings.