Α priest attacked seven bishops with acid liquid and sent them injured to the hospital. The unprecedented incident took place during a session of the Synodical Court at Petraki Monastery in Athens on Wednesday.
Injured are seven bishops, two of them in critical condition, one policeman and one lawyer, both with slight injuries.
The attacker has been arrested on the spot.
The Bishops had examined the drugs dealing case involving the 37-year-old attacker and had ruled for his deposition.
Short before one of the bishops started reading the verdict, the monk-priest reportedly took a bottle out of his pocket and started throwing the acid liquid, most likely vitriol, at the present high-ranking clergymen.
The bishops started to scream in pain and panic, one policeman on duty at the monastery jumped on the attacker to disarm him and arrested him.
The officer was slightly injured in the hand and is being treated for burn injuries.
The Archbishop of Athens Ieronymos and Health Minister Vassilis Kikillias rushed to visit the injured at the two hospitals where are being treated.
Injured in the hands and face are reportedly the Bishop of Kifissia, Glyfada, Dryinoupolis, Arta, Kassandria, Zakynthos and Goumenissa.
Wow. I want to know what kind of drugs he was dealing and why he reacted so violently! Sometimes the Church seems like an autonomous mafia,-where are the Christian values, like turning the other cheek and forgiving your enemies? Sounds like he has psychological problems or maybe he thinks he was set up and he is enacting a revenge? Interesting story but disturbing.
Important point here is he came to the meeting armed with a very dangerous substance and it would appear intended to use it ! That is premeditated assault possibly worse if you have seen the results of vitriol (concentrated sulphuric acid) if that is what it was.
Sounds like he was on some sort of disciplinary charge.