Allegations of Priest Misconduct Over Tenant Eviction

A surprising lawsuit has emerged, claiming that a priest exploited a woman’s emotional confession during a moment of distress to facilitate her eviction from a rent-stabilized apartment in New York City, which is owned by his church.

Magdalena Max Abramovic, 56, had rented her apartment from St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Manhattan for almost three decades, paying a monthly rent of $1,540. However, in February, following a conflict regarding her mental health, she was forced out. Notably, court documents indicate that Abramovic had struggled with schizophrenia since her first acute psychotic episode in 2004.

Despite her challenges, she managed her condition relatively well with the aid of antipsychotic medication prescribed by her psychiatrist. Yet, things took a turn in October 2024 when her doctors introduced a new medication that gradually affected her symptoms, culminating in a serious psychotic episode by February.

Abramovic attributes this breakdown to a particularly stressful incident at work. Subsequently, she quit her job, disposed of most of her belongings, and planned a trip to Serbia, where most of her family lives.

“My mental illness crafted a delusional narrative about my family, convincing me I needed to vacate my apartment and leave the country,” Abramovic stated in her lawsuit.

Desperate to regain control, she reached out to Živodin Jakovljevic, the priest at St. Sava Cathedral, on February 10, seeking confession and prayer. During her confession, she broke down, expressing her anxious thoughts regarding her living situation and an overwhelming sense of paranoia.

Interestingly, the day after the confession, Jakovljevic requested to share “confidential information” from her confession with the church board, which acted as her landlord as well. Whether Abramovic consented to this disclosure remains unclear. Typically, Eastern Orthodox priests who breach the confidentiality of confession risk excommunication.

Shortly thereafter, the church secretary sent Abramovic a “surrender agreement,” which she signed on February 14, leading her to vacate the apartment. She moved to Serbia, residing with family for a month, during which her psychotic episodes diminished.

Upon regaining clarity, Abramovic recognized her previous missteps and returned to New York in April. Resuming her antipsychotic treatment, she secured temporary housing in the city.

Abramovic contends that Jakovljevic failed to acknowledge her vulnerable state and her lack of ability to make a sound decision regarding her long-term housing situation. Efforts to reach Jakovljevic and the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church for comments on the matter have been initiated.