By Romfea.news
17 years’ imprisonment and a fine of EUR 600. This is the ruling of the Mixed Jury Court of Appeal of Thessaloniki to the instigators and perpetrators of the Molotov cocktails attack in July 2013, against riot police, in the buildings of the Esphigmenou monastery in Mount Athos.
In a statement issued by the Esphigmenou monastery in Mount Athos, it is noted that “regarding the Molotov cocktail attacks in July 2013 against riot police from the schismatic illegal occupants in Mount Athos. The Mixed Court of Appeal of Thessaloniki, from a lengthy and exhausting two-month process, today unanimously issued its ruling. Methodios – Matthew Papalamprakopoulos and Antipas Fragoulopoulos, who instigated the attack, were sentenced to seventeen (17) years’ imprisonment and a fine of EUR 600, while six members of the illegal occupation, who were accessory, were sentenced to nine (9) years and five month’s imprisonment.
The Esphigmenou monastery faces the development calmly, and prays to God give wisdom and prudence to the responsible for the illegal occupation, in order to bring this paradoxical and anti-monastic situation to an end, peacefully and without unnecessary and impassable rivalries. Their tendency to hostility is the reason for the current penalties.
But let’s look ahead. Let us pray to learn from this fact and to find some peace, so that the monastery can finally operate at its seat and its premises where its invaluable relics are located.”