The youth of Greece has been let down by the clerics

Father Christopoulos Spokesman

The group's latest release was the fourth biggest in the history of Greek pop.

Despite playing to nightclubs in Athens, they say they are trying to save souls by persuading young people to go to church.

The group, from a monastery in the village of Trikorfo near the central Greek town of Nafpaktos, are all young themselves. Their ages range from 18 to 30.

Spokesman Father Christopoulos told BBC Radio 4's Today programme their motivation had been echoed by their archbishop.

New commercialism

"The youth of Greece has been let down by the clerics - 95% of teenagers register that they believe in God but none of them on Sundays go to church.

"Some clerics, some bishops are those who become commercial and have forgotten the vows that they had given when they had become priests.

"[They] have now become good businessmen who are dressed in black robes and go around from state to state buying different types of assets."

The monks claim support from the church

Songs have titles like Anarchy And Rock and Pal, I'm Down and contain elements of electronica, rock, and even hard rock.

Music critic Maria Paravantes said: "Their music has captured all the different styles of the times.

"They are also modern people despite being dressed in the traditional black garb.

"They convey this trendiness - they are not trying to change their image they are not trying to cut their hair or whatever.

"It's the traditional greek orthodox monk that you would expect in an isolated monastery in the mountains."

But the success of their music has provoked anger within the Orthodox establishment.

Some more traditional clerics dislike the western and Protestant influences behind the music, suggesting it betrays Greek tradition.