American Missionary Lorenzo Warriner Pease, while visiting Vavla village, noted in his diary the avarice of the church:
Today the archdeacon of the episcopate arrived and took lodgings with the Aga. His present business is to collect wheat from the villages of this diocese. The people give one, 3, 5, of more cafisia, according to their ability. It is collected for the benefit of the episcopal monastery.