Presentation of the historic testimony of Isidoros
“Should we say it on camera?”
After the Chief Secretary of the Patriarchate concluded his testimony, the court agreed to screen the video with the historical testimony of the Skeuophylax of the Holy Sepulchre, Archbishop Isidore (it also agreed to screen the video with the testimony of the late Metropolitan Cornelius and that of Aristarchos, who admits that I knew I was writing a book).
I had been waiting for this moment for five years. I knew that this would be the most decisive evidence that would lead to my acquittal. As soon as the presiding judge pressed play on the player and I heard Isidore’s voice, I understood that everything was over then. It was the most emotionally charged moment of the entire trial for me. My eyes welled up as I listened to the video with the historical testimony of the venerable Skeuophylax Isidore.
When they reached the point where Isidore asks me “should we say it on camera?”, the presiding judge turned to the judge on her right and whispered “camera“. No one heard her voice. But those who were close read her lips.
Aristarchos also watched the video. It struck me that he watched it very carefully, as if he was seeing it for the first time. “Is that possible?” I wondered to myself, as he watched Isidore’s testimony.
Shortly before the presiding judge announced the adjournment of the trial, due to time constraints, the prosecution lawyers requested to be given the original video as it came out of my camera, obviously to examine it.
I replied that I had no objection. I sent it to them the next day with the following accompanying text:
“Mr. Apostolidis and Mr. Askites,
As I promised, I am sending you the full video of Archbishop Isidore’s interview, lasting 43 minutes and 47 seconds. It is exactly the same video that my lawyer, Mr. Anagnostopoulos, submitted in the Proposals file for the civil part of the case. As you will find, by comparing it with the 25-minute public video shown in court, segments of the interview that could harm your client’s image have been removed.
Sincerely”
Mr. Askites, Aristarchos’s lawyer, replied to me: “Good evening and thank you very much. Could you also send us the other two that were shown in court so we don’t have to request them from the secretariat?
Thank you in advance.”
Half an hour later, I also sent the other two videos, one of which included Isidore’s historical testimony.
Continuation of the trial on 2024-03-29. After 9 days.