Five clerics expelled from Salkhino Monastery detained by police

Five clerics expelled from the Salkino Monastery by Metropolitan of Chkondidi, Stepane Kalaijishvili, in October of 2021 for ‘an attempted revolt against the Patriarchate’ and ‘the daily violation of monastic vows’, were detained by police today, the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) reports.

GPB reports that the clerics have been brought to the police department for questioning.

Cleric Anthenogenes told GPB that Salkino Monastery received a letter from the Patriarchate that the expelled clerics should leave the monastery by November 4. The clerics think that Stephane Kalaijishvili’s decision is unfair and refused to leave.

The controversy between the clergy in the Chkondidi Diocese began in 2019, following the former head of the diocese, Petre Tsaava, having been dismissed from the priesthood by the Patriarchate.

• Holy Synod meeting: top cleric dismissed, church to request release of convicted archpriest

Proponents of Petre Tsaava have refused to obey new Metropolitan Stephane, sent by the Patriarchate until the Holy Synod will discuss Petre's accusation against the Patriarch over ‘homosexualism’ and ‘sexual violence’.

The Holy Synod refuses to discuss the ‘false accusations’, calling the clerics who support former metropolitan ‘supporters of false Petre‘ (Petre Tsaava).

Following his dismissal from the post in October 2019, Petre Tsaava said that his dismissal was ‘unprecedented and very unfair’, adding that he was dismissed for uncovering ‘sodomy within the church’.

Tsaava also said that the Georgian church has a leader possessed by the sin of 'homosexualism'.