“In the “Ark of the World” the people were sensitive, they loved the children… Tons of mud have fallen,” the clergyman’s wife testified today at the trial, before the Three-member Misdemeanor Court, of father Antonios and six employees for cases of abusive behavior.

The trial, which has started for months, is heading towards the final stretch with the examination of defense witnesses for the accused.

The elder she said that none of the allegations against her main accused husband are true.

As the witness reported, “tons of mud have fallen on the Ark. We are people of love and giving. Over the years people have recognized the “Ark”. What I have experienced for 25 years is love and care. In “Kivoto” people were sensitive they loved children… We did what was necessary for the children…

They came from channels, politicians, we never asked for anything. Everything we did, we did in the best possible way. The state was far behind…’.

According to the witness, “the children were used” in order to “seize the Ark”.

When asked by the president if she had observed physical violence against children housed in the NGO’s structures, the elder answered that she had never noticed abusive behavior, stressing, at the same time, that the structures were independent and Father Antonios did not decide on their internal functioning .

“We gave the children a Christian orientation… Father Antonios always had the role of spiritual leader, the children trusted him and he only did this work. He was something like a father,” added the clergyman’s wife.

In court, the artist Panos Mouzourakis, who is in court, is going to testify in favor of the cleric.