Life sometimes brings tragic coincidences, as evident in the case of Father Lambros Rini, whose daughter was killed by her own son and grandson in Larissa on the night of Monday, May 12.
This priest, who gained notoriety 27 years ago for uncovering a significant financial scandal, is now grappling with an unimaginable family tragedy. This recent event compounds a series of heart-wrenching family losses; two years prior, Father Lambros lost his eldest daughter to a stroke at just 52, leaving him to raise her two orphaned children alongside his wife, as reported by onlarissa.gr.
The Scandal Revelation
Father Lambros first made headlines in 1997 when he exposed a major financial scandal on “Kitrinos Typos,” hosted by Makis Triantafyllopoulos. This involved the embezzlement of funds from the donation box of the historic pilgrimage site of Holy Paraskevi in Tempi. Suspecting that donations weren’t reaching their intended destination, he installed a hidden camera in the church, capturing daily thefts by committee members overseeing the donations.
The scandal came to light in November 1997, shocking the public and revealing corruption at one of Greece’s most renowned pilgrimage sites. Investigations uncovered that committee members—comprising an OSE employee, a retired military officer, and two priests—were stealing substantial amounts, estimated at around 45 million drachmas, from the donation box. Judicial proceedings regarding the scandal stretched until 2007.
Kitrinos Typos, 20/06/1999, Part 9
“Who could imagine that my own grandson would kill his mother?”
The victim’s father describes the events in Larissa as “unthinkable.”
He told protothema.gr: “I don’t harbor anger, just profound sorrow… Great sorrow for my daughter’s unjust loss and for my grandson, who has become a murderer.”
He added, “The child never exhibited any signs of wanting to harm his mother. I’m uncertain what transpired between them that led him to grab a knife… Who could have imagined my own grandson would kill his mother? It’s beyond belief.”
He further remarked, “I haven’t been able to talk to him because the police have restricted access.” Adding to the tragedy, he recalled losing another daughter to a stroke two years ago at the same age.
“I lost my other daughter in a horrific way. Two years ago, she suffered a stroke, leaving two orphaned children behind. She was also 52. I can’t withstand these blows of fate any longer. This immense pain is unbearable…” concluded the grieving father and grandfather.
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