In Israel, a District Court in Jerusalem finds itself in the middle of a battle between the former and the new Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church. YNet News yesterday reported on the complicated developments.
Former Patriarch Irineos I was dismissed two years ago after a scandal involving sale of church lands to Jewish groups. Patriarch Theopilus III was appointed to succeed him, but Irineos continued to live in Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox compound. So Theopilus asked an Israeli civil court to order Irineos to turn over millions of dollars worth of church icons that normally pass from one Patriarch to the next. The Israeli judge placed a temporary seizure on the items to prevent Irineos from transferring them to anyone else. The judge also instructed Hershimandit Kelidion, the judge of the Greek Orthodox religious court, to enter Irineos' residence to photograph the disputed items. When Kelidion arrived, accompanied by police, a scuffle broke out with police guarding Irineos who refused Kelidion entry. The matter remains unresolved.
