Greece: Priest arrested after acid attack on bishops

Police have arrested a priest after he threw acid on seven bishops who had gathered for disciplinary hearing against him at an Athens monastery.

A policeman who ran to help the bishops, as well as two lawyers, were also injured in the attack, which took place at Petraki Monastry, the headquarters of the Orthodox Church of Greece.

Police say the seven bishops are being treated for burns at Laiko hospital in Athens while the policeman has been taken to the city’s 401 military hospital.

The following metropolitan bishops are reported to have been injured: Nikodimos of Kassandreia, Kallinikos of Arta, Andreas of Dryinoupoleos, Dionysios IV of Zakynthos, Kyrillos of Kifissia, Dimitrios of Goumenissa and Antonios of Glyfada.

Three of the bishops are understood to be in a serious condition.

The church court had been called to ratify the defrocking of the cleric, a 37-year-old hieromonk.

It is understood that the cleric had been fired for misdemeanors related to a drug case.

Source: ekathimerini