Dear Sirs!

We write this open letter – endorsed by many Orthodox Christians worldwide- to express our deep concern with ongoing violations of religious freedom masqueraded as criminal “justice” trials by the Greek authorities. We have recently heard about the Court of Appeals Judges’ Council decision of December 23, 2011 to hold the very Reverend Archimandrite Ephraim, the Abbot of Holy Monastery of Vatopaidi, in custody while unsettling land swamp criminal investigation. If convicted our dear Father Ephraim could face up to 20 years or life in prison.We were appalled by the unprecedented ferocity of the Greek law enforcement in persecution of a monk who had practiced nothing more than humility, celibacy and poverty for over thirty years as obligatory condition to remain as such.

The ongoing litigation between Greece and the monastery was initiated by  Vatopaidi convent in order to defend its estate ownership and titles, and dates back to the ‘20s.

It is widely known that for the past three years there has been a dispute concerning certain property deals made by  Holy Monastery of Vatopaidi with the state of Greece to avoid earlier disagreements with the state. These deals involved the exchange of property in Thrace belonging to the monastery with other properties belonging to the state, exchanges that were instigated and implemented by the state. Media reports of these events and the background to them have been wildly speculative, one-sided, and characterized by innuendo, but legal proceedings are continuing with further hearings scheduled.

There is agreat risk of monastery properties confiscation by the Greek goverment and discontinuation of many charities the Vatopaidi monastery has been involved into.

The spiritual mission of Holy Mount Athos fathers is at stake.

The very Reverend Archimandrite Ephraim was arrested right on Christmas Eve which further outlines cynical  bureaucratism of the law enforcement entities.

The internal assessment carried out by  Mount Athos governing Commission found no evidence of wrong-doing on Father Ephraim's part and, subsequently, no disciplinary actions were taken against him while criminal investigation.

For the commodity of the Vatopaidi monastery charity programs, all its financial activities were entrusted to the professional managing company so that monks could fully commit themselves to prayer and  spiritual development.

The Holy Mount Athos monks' republic is a part of the unique thounsand- year-old internationally acclaimed  heritage of Greek and Roman empire culture.

We hope that you will show strong concern for the situation in Holy Mount. We write to ask that you make a public statement supporting Athonite monks and their monasteries with more than thousand- year-long history of their autonomy in right to practice Orthodox Christianity as their fundamental human right and for Greece to abide by its constitutional and international obligations.

The victory of the petition will descourage expropriation of the properties of  other convents located on the territory of  Holy Mountain and limit extensive power exercise of the Greek state over the semi-autonomous monastics republic.

The very Reverend Archimandrite Ephraim is a spiritual father for  more than hundred of monks  which are left without spiritual guidence. He also is an Elder ( a person ordained for his special spritual achievements to hold  pastoral  charge of monastics and laymen). He is a public figure and represents global Orthodox Christian leadership for the millions of the Christian believers on the planet.