Israeli police deny writing Father Prokopios Kanavas’s character reference

Father Prokopios Kanavas, 25, is being investigated over a letter purportedly written by Israeli police as a character reference. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Nigel Hunt From: Sunday Mail (SA)
18/2/2012

CONTROVERSIAL Greek priest Father Prokopios Kanavas is being investigated by Israeli police.

The letter, purportedly written by a senior officer in the Israel Police Department, was provided to the head of the Australian Greek community, Theo Maras, last March by Father Kanavas after he was sacked as an SA police chaplain because of concerns over his suitability for the role.

Mr Maras provided the letter to the Sunday Mail last year in support of Father Kanavas, but inquiries have now revealed the letter may not be authentic, prompting the Israeli police investigation.

Inquiries by the Sunday Mail to the Israeli police and subsequently the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in SA have resulted in Israeli police and the police officer claimed to have signed the letter denying any link to it.

The officer denies having signed it after being asked to verify its authenticity by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem.

In a letter to Bishop Nikandros, the head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in SA, the Archbishop of Gerason Theofanis, in Jerusalem, states he has shown the letter to the Israeli police officer concerned and his supervisor to verify its origins.

“He declared to me that he did not sign such a letter and the signature on the letter is not his,” he stated.

Mr Maras yesterday said he intended to refer the matter to Father Kanavas’s employer, the Greek Orthodox Community of SA Council, for investigation.

“I am disappointed that a letter like this, that was passed to the community at the time, now appears to be non-authentic,” he said. “I am also disappointed that this issue has now arisen involving Father Kanavas, considering recent events involving him that have also caused some concern in the community because of their nature.

“Obviously, it is something the council executive will need to look closely at.”

The Sunday Mail revealed last month Father Kanavas was called before a council meeting to explain why apparently false claims about his past, including university degrees he did not have, were posted on his Facebook page.

Following that meeting, Father Kanavas received a second written warning over his conduct within the local community. He was issued with a similar written warning early last year following allegations that explicit images were found on a church computer.

In February last year, Father Kanavas was sacked as a police chaplain when SAPOL was made aware of information that allegedly affected his “suitability” for the role.

It is understood that information was contained in a letter that was sent to members of the Greek Orthodox archdiocese by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The letter contained details on Rev Kanavas’s background that led to him being defrocked as a priest in 2008.

He joined the Greek army and then another faction of the church. He was again ordained and returned to Adelaide in 2010. Rev Kanavas is based at the St Nicholas parish, which is part of the Autocephalic Greek Orthodox Church.

Father Kanavas did not respond to messages left by the Sunday Mail.

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