New acting abbot assigned to troubled NY monastery

Met. Evangelos (pictured left)

BOSTON (TNH) - The Ecumenical Patriarchate has appointed Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey as acting Abbot of the St. Irene Chrysovalantou Patriarchal Monastery in Astoria until Dec. 1 when Holy and Sacred Synod will decide the fate of its leadership in the wake of charges by a nun there of misconduct and a mysterious bag of money and gold coins.

The story has received widespread attention in the Greek American community and without, after The National Herald’s reporting was picked up by mainstream media, particularly in New York City where television channels reported from outside St. Irene’s Church and Precinct 114 police station in Astoria, and the CBS national network covered it as well.