Church bells tolled as the ceremony to enthrone Archbishop Georgios as head of the church began on Sunday afternoon, with high-level dignitaries in attendance.
A large screen was set up outside the Apostolos Varnavas Cathedral in Nicosia where the event was to take place. Georgios will be the 76th archbishop of the country, succeeding Archbishop Chrysostomos II, who died aged 81 in November after a long battle with cancer.
Georgios was elected on December 24 by the Holy Synod, receiving 11 votes, outstripping main contender Limassol bishop Athanasios, who secured four votes from the bishops, despite gaining the popular vote.
President Nicos Anastasiades and House President Annita Demetriou were attending the ceremony, as was Greece’s Archbishop Ieronymos II. Greece’s minister of education and religious affairs, Niki Kerameus was also attending. Bishops from Greece and representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of other Christian Orthodox Churches, as well as other denominations were present.
Bishop of Morphou Neophytos said he would not be attending because he would be too busy praying for banned churches in Ukraine.
The new archbishop began walking from the Archbishopric to the cathedral at 4pm, escorted by the members of the Holy Synod. During the ceremony the archbishop will be clothed in the middle of the church with the red mantle and he will be given a second engolpion, which he will wear on his chest together with the cross.
After the Act of the Enthronement Synod has been read by the chief secretary, he will then sign, in red ink, from the inkwell of Archbishop Kyprianos.
He will then stand on the first steps of the archiepiscopal throne where the first bishop in command, Bishop of Kition, Nektarios, will offer him the imperial scepter, which dates back to 1869, and address him.
This will be followed by the addresses of the Ecumenical Patriarch, which will be read by the Archbishop of Thyateira, Nikitas, and of Ieronymos, the Archbishop of Athens. A letter from the Pope will be read, which will be read by the Nuncio in Cyprus and Bishop Christoforos of Karpasia will address on behalf of the Archbishopric. At the end, the enthronement speech of Archbishop Georgios will follow.
After the ceremony, the archbishop will receive congratulations, while he will host a dinner in the evening for guests and representatives.
In a recent interview, the new head of the church said he will follow his predecessor’s line on the Cyprus problem, adding he would roll out financial incentives to support people wishing to have three or four children, as part of his efforts to tackle birth deficits.
The archbishop will also begin the position of electing a new Paphos bishop, taking over his previous position as caretaker of the church.
Georgios was born in Athienou on May 25, 1949. He graduated from the Pancyprian high school in 1967.
After receiving a scholarship from the Cyprus State Scholarship Foundation, he studied chemistry at the University of Athens between 1968 and 1972.
Following his graduation, he studied theology at the same university followed by further studies in England in both chemistry and theology.
On December 23, 1984, he was ordained as a Deacon under the Regional Bishop Salaminos Varnavas.
On March 17, 1985, he was ordained as an Elder and ordained an Archimandrite under the Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos I.
He assumed the duties of Secretary of the Holy Synod in 1994, while, at the same time, also working as a chemistry teacher in secondary schools.
A few years after that he hit the headlines after being arrested and ill treated by Turkish troops during an anti-occupation demonstration in 1989, following which he lodged a complaint against Turkey with the Human Rights Committee of the Council of Europe.
In its decision, the Council of Europe condemned Turkey for the first time for violating human rights in Cyprus and imposed a monetary fine.
He was ordained as a bishop on May 26, 1996.
On December 29, 2006, he was elected Metropolitan of Paphos, assuming his duties the day after.
He represents the Church of Cyprus in the Pan-Orthodox Conferences and in the Dialogue with the Roman Catholics.
He is also the president of the Bioethics and Education committees of the Holy Synod.
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Mail
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Mail
Source
