The Greek Orthodox Community of St Albans Agia Paraskevi was established in the 1960s. The Greek Herald spoke to several former committee members and parishioners concerning the recent disarray the Community faces. Allegations abound, including accusations of nepotism and poor financial records.
Community members are critical of the choices made in appointing a school principal directly related to current president Areti Akamati, as well as the appointment of former priest Irineos.
Ms Akamati took over following the resignation of former Brimback mayor Georgina Papafotiou after a few months at the helm, followed by a spate of resignations that left a committee lacking the full support of community members in votes.
“I resigned along with at least four other committee members due to concerning financial issues, questions, and allegations raised about the then-employed priest, Father Irineos,” Ms Papafotiou said in a statement to The Greek Herald.
At the time, the value of the Community’s assets was around $7-8 million, including two houses, one vacant property, a warehouse, the church, and a community hall.
Bishop Nektarios of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand told The Greek Herald that his Archdiocese – not to be confused with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (GOAA) – has two open legal cases against the Greek Orthodox Community of St Albans Aghia Paraskevi.
These were initiated following his termination from heading the church while visiting his sister in England earlier this year. As per the Memorandum of Understanding conditions, he was given four weeks’ notice, “of which it will be paid in advance and your services will cease effective from 1 June 2024. Additionally, we will terminate the cooperation of the radio broadcast program on FM 97.9.” The Holy Archdiocese had a radio show on FM 97.9 in collaboration with the St Albans Community.
Bishop Nektarios returned to Australia unable to retrieve his personal belongings following the committee’s decision to change the locks to his lodgings. He has since sought legal recourse and told The Greek Herald that there is a case at the Magistrate’s Court for “oppressive conduct” and refusal “to take action that is unfairly prejudicial to, or unfairly discriminatory against, a member (including in the member’s capacity as a member of the committee) or against the interests of the members of the association as a whole.” With this action, Bishop Nektarios hopes to remove the present committee and appoint an administrator who will investigate and surrender the organisation to a new committee acting in the best interests of the organisation.
The second action is with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. “We just want to be paid what is owed to us,” he said.
In one of three videos uploaded on the Holy Archdiocese’s YouTube (which is no longer active), Bishop Nektarios pointed to services provided by the Holy Archdiocese. These included having the Holy Archdiocese’s solicitor write letters to the City of Monash for Ms Akamati’s traffic infringements, a radio program application to present a program on 97.9 FM, the business registration of Aghia Paraskevi ($92), business cards ($98.38), and a May 28 lecture to help parishioners understand the sacraments.
Bishop Nektarios told The Greek Herald that he was not paid by the Community, receiving just food and lodgings. The Holy Archdiocese, however, received a $1,000 payment for services.
Committee members would not respond to The Greek Herald’s questions concerning the nature of this payment, including a request for treasurer Anastasia Myrianthopoulos to clarify fees.
Ms Akamati told The Greek Herald that her solicitor had advised her not to talk to the media, and she refused to answer even general questions unrelated to Bishop Nektarios. Similarly, Community Secretary Peter Zafiris said, “All the allegations that have been made have been forwarded to our solicitor and we were advised not to comment at this stage.” In a press release issued on Monday, July 15 by the Community, Ms Akamati and Mr Zafiris said they have since been advised by their solicitors to initiate legal action.
Former treasurer John Louloudakis, who served two terms on the committee, told The Greek Herald that he would always clearly document salaries paid to clergy. These were $450 per week, paid in cash, when he was treasurer. “These financial transactions and payments need to be clearly documented as a salary, and not a donation,” he said.
Priest Foivos Georgiou, hastily ordained by Bishop Nektarios before he departed abroad, said he does not want any payment for his service to the church. “I am 79 years old and have always been part of this church in some way, including as a psalter. All I want is for this controversy to end,” he said, adding that he would be ordained again. However, on Monday, July 1, Bishop Nektarios defrocked Fr. Foivos.
Bishop Nektarios’ own journey to priesthood has raised eyebrows. He told The Greek Herald he was born in Poros, Kefalonia, and moved to New Zealand with his parents when he was one month old. At the age of 11, he moved to Sydney with his parents, who he said died in a car accident before he and his sister Georgia were raised by Wesley Mission. A spokesperson for Wesley Mission told The Greek Herald no one matching the Bishop’s identity went there.
In heavily accented Greek English but flawless Greek uncommon for someone raised in the antipodes, he admitted to a troubled youth and involvement with a bikie gang. “My faith was shaken many times,” he said.
However, there have been doubts cast over his identity. In one of his videos, he presented a certificate of naturalisation where he and his sister were listed under his father’s name, Ioannis Alexandratos. He also presented a Certificate of Baptism from Wellington.
Some say he is Panagiotis Bouras, a man with an alleged history of fraud. Parishioners from Wellington told The Greek Herald that he showed up as a priest named Panagiotis Bouras, married to a psychologist, and immediately raised eyebrows.
At the 13th meeting of the Bishops of the GOAA on 28-29 March 2022, under the chairmanship of Archbishop Makarios, he was mentioned as someone who “passed through several Metropolises of the Church of Greece, insisting that he was a canonical priest of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia” before being discovered. The same meeting said he subsequently joined a group in the United States under the leadership of Melchizedek and was the “Archbishop of the Church of Palestine in America.”
“At one point, he also pretended to be a doctor, without having a medical degree or license, for which he was prosecuted,” the report stated.
The GOAA at the time warned people that he poses by the names Panayiotis Marlassi-Bouras, Panagiotis Mariassi-Bouras, Panagiotis Bouras, Panos Bouras, Panos Marlassi, and Arana Hokianga, and “has been implicated in the Greek and Australian judicial systems and the mass media.”
The Greek Herald has contacted the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of New Zealand for comment.
