Former Kition bishop Chrysostomos was on Monday found guilty of assaulting a teenage girl, who was 16-years-old in 1981, when he was holding his post.
As the Larnaca district court announced the verdict, those present in the courtroom erupted in a lengthy applause, with some shouting at the defendant, urging him to feel shame for his actions.
After a lengthy trial that began in May 2022, the former bishop, now in his 80s, was convicted of the charge of indecent assault, as the court deemed the testimony of the now 58-year-old, as well as the defence witnesses, to be credible.
The case will continue on May 26, when the judge will pronounce his sentence.
The plaintiff claimed that during her first visit to Chrysostomos’ office at the Kition bishopric, the bishop sat down beside her on a sofa and began touching her hands.
He allegedly assaulted her on her fifth visit when the cleric shoved her, pressed himself on top of her and kissed her on the lips. She began repeatedly screaming “let me out,” at which point she claimed the bishop got off her and opened the door.
She pressed charges in 2021, 40 years after the alleged incident.
Members of the anti-violence network against women were present in the courtroom. They previously held a demonstration in support of the complainant outside the court.
The case brought to light not only his actions in relation to the indecent assault of the teenage woman at the time, but also his ‘indecent’ lifestyle when travelling abroad. He apparently used to take off his robes, following the practice of Catholic priests, even though this is not allowed in the Orthodox religion.
A complaint of sexual assault during one of his trips abroad years ago was reported in 2021 by a woman who is a non-resident of Cyprus, but the case did not proceed because the alleged offence had taken place overseas.
Three other complaints were made to the police at the same time while two more women came forward after the Court’s verdict on Monday.