JERUSALEM - The highest decision-making body of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem fired Patriarch Irineos I over his suspected involvement in the sale of church land to Jewish investors, a church official said Friday.
However, Irineos, who has continuously denied the allegation, had no immediate comment.
Archimandrite Attallah Hanna said the patriarch left
the church after the 18-member Holy Synod made its decision and does not know where he went.
The leadership of 13 archbishops and 25 archimandrites said on Thursday it no longer recognized Irineos as its patriarch in the wake of recent newspaper reports that said he helped lease church land to Jews.
The news had angered Palestinians, who view such deals as attempts by Israel to gain control of East Jerusalem, whichthey see as the capital of a future Palestinian state.
Irineos had blamed the affair on
rivals who wanted to oust him.
The Greek Orthodox Church is led by Greek clerics rather than Palestinians, unlike other churches in Israel that have opted in the past few years to appoint Arab patriarchs.
The church owns thousands of acres of property in Jerusalem.