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Today, 31 December 2021, an Archpriestly Vespers was celebrated at the Cathedral of St. Barnabas the Apostle, presided over by His Beatitude Archbishop of Cyprus Mr.Mr. Chrysostomos II and co-chaired by His Grace Bishop Christoforos of Karpasia, Bishop Porphyrios of Neapolis and Bishop Christoforos of Mesaoria. Gregory, on the occasion of the Apostolic Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord in the flesh and the memory of the great hierophant Basil, Bishop of Caesarea, Bishop of Cappadocia.
The service was attended by clergy of the Holy Archdiocese, while several faithful participated in prayer.
According to the Holy Archdiocese, after the end of the vespers, there was a transition to the Great Synod of the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus, where the ceremony of cutting the traditional royal cake for the employees of the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus took place. After the customary prayer and the reading of the blessing for the cutting of the Royal Cake, His Beatitude addressed the clergy and employees of the Holy Archdiocese as follows:
"Despite the difficulties caused by the pandemic, we have passed this year successfully. I am pleased with all of you, from the first to the last. We worked conscientiously and overcame all difficulties. Even those who had the great burden of the works we had, the Cathedral and the dormitories in Limassol, whose Grace of God helped us to celebrate the inauguration. I thank them publicly, because they ran and travelled all the way from abroad.
We spared no expense in the Cathedral, because we wished to make a good Cathedral. The people also supported us. What I realized is that the closer we are to our Christians, the closer they are to us, and they give their best to the Church. What I often say, that they regard the Church as their Mother, is not a figure of speech, but I believe it, feel it and live it. The Orthodox Christian of Cyprus, when he is unhappy, runs to the Mother Church to find comfort, to lean on God. And when he is happy, he again turns to the Church to praise God for the help he has received and to thank Him. This is what I see every day.
And I rejoice when they come to me for help. I do not resent when some come to ask without really needing it. I'd rather than wrong one, be fooled by ten, and get money they don't deserve. Never mind, God will send it. I see God's hand constantly helping us. Many feared that we would not be able to complete the works we have begun. This year we began to maintain the Archbishop's Palace. We will complete it in the coming year.
\NWith our proper work and our willingness we will go forward. Always, the unscalable has been in the sky. On earth there were, are and will be scandals. No one is perfect. As long as we are not carried away by selfishness, which is the worst passion. We must be down to earth, put aside pettiness and selfishness and dedicate ourselves to the service of our people. We are called to serve this people, and we must do it to the best of our ability, because that is God's will.
I said this morning that some clergymen have caused scandals. The Church has always been strict and all clergy owe respect to the decisions of the Church. The Church does not decide selfishly, but studies every matter comprehensively and all clergy are obliged to work according to the commandments of the Church. Unfortunately, we have clergy who have not respected these decisions, although we have many examples within the Church. The Apostle Paul ascended to the third heaven, and yet he considered it an honor to have his physician Luke with him. Paul admitted he had ailments and wanted him as his counselor. We have no better example. And all the clergy should respect that and not advise people that it is supposedly a sin if they are vaccinated. Today we have a young woman, who has just given birth to her child, suffering because of this disease. The Church should not have played such a role. He who does not obey, puts himself out of the Church. Why was man cast out of Paradise? Because of his selfishness. In His mercy, however, God became man, in order to restore man to Paradise. God did everything to merit us to become citizens of His heavenly Kingdom, to become gods by grace."
His Beatitude then announced some administrative changes within the Holy Archdiocese and concluded- "I wish you to have a rich year in every respect, for your families, for our people, for our entire nation."
His Beatitude then announced some administrative changes within the Holy Archdiocese and concluded- "I wish you to have a rich year in every respect, for your families, for our people, for our entire nation.
On behalf of the clergy and employees of the Holy Archdiocese, The Most Reverend Bishop Christoforos of Karpasia responded, who, among other things, stressed that "what we are, we carry it into the next year. Because the change of the year is just a moment and if you think about it, you will see that the community to which we belong is an extension of ourselves, of what we have in our hearts. We need quality resistance, as the Archbishop of Albania said. Bless Your Beatitude that we enter the new year with spiritual quality, so that we have the resistance and endurance to withstand the scandals that are inevitably not to come in our lives. And with prudence, kindness and goodness let us cooperate with you to achieve the one and only purpose - the salvation of man and the support of our people. We wish you, too, strength, enlightenment, strengthening and improvement of your health in order to complete your vision in the Church, from the position given to you by God, in this period we are going through."
All those present were given a New Year's gift by His Beatitude. John, on the occasion of the coming of the New Year, left for a short time his polyvalent ministry and assumed the duties of "cook" for the employees of the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus. He served "private meals" which included traditional dishes of the Cypriot cuisine. His Beatitude thanked Archimandrite Fr. Ioannis for his "eti apax" sacrificial disposition and wished that the New Year would be a new beginning for everyone in our upward spiritual path.
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