Ephraim’s poor health prevents his arrest
The council of appeals court judges decided on Friday to remand Ephraim, the former chief monk at Vatopedi Monastery, in custody, but his health prevented his arrest on Saturday.
A Thessaloniki judge who wet to Mount Athos with a coroner to execute the arrest warrant noted that Ephraim had a high fever and a blood sugar problem.
They therefore allowed him to spend Christmas at his cell at Vatopedi on guard.
The decision of the appeals court judges raised objections from the part of the Greek Church, with sources close to Archbishop Ieronymos saying that he expressed his respect to Greek justice, but was also worried about the timing of the decision, just before Christmas.
