Dialogos

Father Antonios: “I Cannot Pay the 60,000 Euros – I Rely on Every Fellow Human Being”

Published February 19, 2026, 17:01
Father Antonios: “I Cannot Pay the 60,000 Euros – I Rely on Every Fellow Human Being”

Antonios Papanikolaou, founder of the “Ark of the World” (Kivotos tou Kosmou), stated his inability to pay the amount of 60,000 euros imposed by the Court of Appeal, as a conversion of his 9.5-year prison sentence for the case of abuse against children. Mr. Papanikolaou refers to “extreme bias of the court” and expresses his hope to receive help from “every fellow human being”. His conviction to 9.5 years in prison (serving 8 years) for the misdemeanors related to the abuse case at the Ark of the World was greater than the initial court decision. The lawyers of the victims accused Father Antonios of preferring television interviews instead of apologizing to the court. The case has caused great turmoil and has questioned the operation of the Ark of the World.