A Russian monk was arrested and referred to trial in his own right, because he was illegally in Greek territory, during the last 3 years, during which he was allegedly living in the Monastery of Agios Panteleimon of Mount Athos, also called the Russian Monastery.

The rasophore was arrested at the “Macedonia” airport in Thessaloniki, when, while attempting to travel to Istanbul with a final destination of Moscow, it was found that he did not have the required travel documents justifying his legal stay in our country.

According to what became known, he came to Greece at the beginning of 2022 with a 2-month residence permit. When the permit expired, he visited Mount Athos, issuing a residence permit that was valid for three days – but he stayed for over three years.

“I was planning to return in 2022 to my homeland but I couldn’t find a ticket. I lived all these years in the Monastery of Agios Panteleimonos, now I want to return…”he said in his apology, declaring ignorance of the offense attributed to him. “I thought I would just pay a fine”he added.

The Autonomous Single-Member Misdemeanor Court of Thessaloniki, where he was tried, found him guilty, under the new law on illegal residence, imposing a 2-year prison sentence and a fine of 5,000 euros, without suspension or commutation. As the sentence, according to the law, is not carried out if the condemned person voluntarily wishes to return to his homeland, the monk declared that this was his intention anyway, to repatriate.