Father Antonios Papanikolaou, founder of the widely recognised Greek charity Ark of the World (Kivotos tou Kosmou), has been sentenced to four years and three months in prison. However, this sentence has been converted into a financial penalty of €10 per day.
The Athens court’s ruling came after it found Papanikolaou guilty of multiple counts of physical abuse against children under his care.
The verdict concludes an eight-month trial during which Papanikolaou, along with several former staff members, faced allegations of abuse and mistreatment. The 54-year-old priest was convicted on charges including serious bodily harm and inciting violence against minors.
In addition to Papanikolaou’s sentence, four former employees received sentences ranging from 17 to 40 months, though most of these sentences have been suspended, pending appeals. Once highly regarded for its charitable efforts, Ark of the World fell into disrepute following multiple allegations of abuse, leading to state investigations and the suspension of government funding.
Source: Ekathimerini.
