Paparokades
| Company type | Ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1990s |
| Founder | Father Nektarios Moulatsiotis, Christodoulos |
| Defunct | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Greece |
| Products | Christian rock, heavy metal, neoclassic, retro music |
Paparokades (translated as Priest Rockers) was a Greek Christian rock ensemble initiated by Father Nektarios Moulatsiotis.
History
During the early 1990s, Father Nektarios Moulatsiotis, facing challenges in sustaining the monastery’s camping facilities, partnered with Christodoulos to establish "Paparokades" with the aim of revitalizing their appeal.
The group comprised Giannis Papanikolaou, Xristoforos, Father Moulatsiotis himself, along with two additional priests. Their first release, titled "I Learnt To Live Freely," featured vocals by Papanikolaou and promoted a message urging individuals to reject the system and adopt rural living.
Their unorthodox style generated debate within the Church of Greece, where it was perceived as excessively anarchist. Despite this, their music succeeded in enhancing the visibility of the monastery’s camping area. Follow-up songs such as "The Microchip" addressed apprehensions regarding compulsory microchips associated with the mark of the beast.
Additional compositions like "Babylon" drew inspiration from the Fall of Babylon. The band garnered further notoriety when Moulatsiotis asserted on ANT1 that the September 11 attacks were orchestrated by demons manipulating the aircraft, rejecting the involvement of passengers or terrorists—a viewpoint deemed radical by the broadcaster.
Paparokades created a wide array of Christian rock and heavy metal pieces before venturing into neoclassic and retro genres with songs such as "What Has This World For Me?", "My Friend I'm Not Okay," "I Love You Greece," "The World Changes," and "Against Your Order." Their popularity persisted until 2006 when Greece announced plans for a mandatory Biometric ID by 2011. Concerns linking this to the number of the beast led to violent demonstrations, including an incident where a farmer rammed his truck into a van transporting Biometric IDs to manufacturing sites. This event was associated with Paparokades, prompting legal action that ultimately caused the band’s breakup. Subsequently, Papanikolaou became a member of the rock group Diviner.
Although Paparokades disbanded, the monastery’s camping facilities continue to operate today.