The wish that the next Congress of Cyprus Hagiology will be held from the legal seat of the Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta in the city of Famagusta was expressed today by the President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades.
The sixth Conference of Cyprus Hagiology, which bears the general title "The honour of the Holy Cross in Cyprus", is being held at the Synod of the Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta in Paralimni and will last until Wednesday 4 May.
In the President's address, read by Dr. Kyprianos Louis, Director of Secondary Education, at the opening of the Conference organized by the Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta and the Cultural Academy "Agios Epiphanios" in Paralimni, "the warm greetings" of President Anastasiades and the Minister of Education were conveyed "for the great contribution and the remarkable work that the Church of Cyprus and especially Archbishop Chrysostomos and Metropolitan Vasilios of Constantia and Famagusta are doing in our country".
He added that "our theology, history, art and tradition bear witness to Cyprus' direct relationship with the Holy Cross of the Lord, and demonstrate its contribution to the preservation of the Christian faith and the Greek Orthodox identity of the Cypriot Hellenism. Moreover, it is undeniable that the Church of Cyprus, in times of absence of political authority in our troubled land, assumed the spiritual and national guidance of the faithful."
Dr. Louis also expressed the "great appreciation" of the President of the Republic and the Minister of Education "to Metropolitan Basil for the multifaceted pastoral, spiritual and cultural work he has carried out over the past 15 years, and wished the Metropolitan to continue his work "with the help of the Holy Cross and the saints of Cyprus, from the legal seat of the Metropolis in the city of Famagusta and that the next congress of Cypriot hagiology will take place there" and wished the Metropolitan to continue his work "with the help of the Holy Cross and the saints of Cyprus, from the legal seat of the Metropolis in the city of Famagusta".
In his introductory speech, Metropolitan Vasilios of Constantia and Famagusta said that with the holding of the sixth Hagiological Conference dedicated to the honour of the Holy Cross in Cyprus "another precious stone of Cypriot Hagiology is added. We have not seen the organization of any other Congress internationally on the subject of the Holy Cross," he said.
He added that "the study of a similar subject could not be limited to Cyprus alone, since this subject inevitably leads us to examine many aspects of the Cross that go beyond the boundaries of Cyprus. Besides, Cyprus is included among the valuable and important traditions referring to the Cross and inextricably linked to other regions where the honour of the Holy Cross developed".
Referring to the Conference, Metropolitan Vassilios said that "this is an anniversary and therefore it is dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the foundation of the Metropolis, since the scientific conferences began immediately after the foundation and temporary establishment of the Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta in Paralimni. For this reason," he continued, "the Congress is being held under the auspices of Archbishop Chrysostomos II, to whom the Church of Cyprus owes the restoration of its canonical structure with the reconstitution of its ancient Metropolises and Bishoprics, some 800 years after their abolition during the period of Frankish rule in Cyprus."
At the same time he expressed his thanks to "Metropolitan Nikephoros of Kykkos who gave the honorary carafe of Saint Epiphanios, patron of the Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta, for veneration and sanctification of the faithful" while among other things he thanked the members of the Scientific Committee of the Conference for defining the topics and all the professors, researchers and lecturers who will present their papers at the Conference.
In his own address, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, read by Archimandrite Augustine Karas, Archbishop of the Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta, said that "the devotional life of our Church is "perpetually resurrected" and is nourished by the "joy" "which came through the Cross in the whole world".
He added that "this saving truth is embodied in the exquisite honour of the Holy Cross in the Great Island, which expresses the authenticity of the piety of the Cypriot people and reveals the power of faith in Christ, which is able to "make mountains out of mountains" as well as the theological content of the "trident of wood in which Christ was buried".
The Ecumenical Patriarch expressed the certainty that "the Conference will highlight the depth and richness of the experiential relationship of the people of God in Cyprus with the Holy Cross of the Lord, which is a central element of their spiritual identity, their continuity, cohesion and progress throughout the centuries".
The greeting of Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus was read by Bishop Christoforos of Karpasia, who said, among other things, that "the Cypriot people, which had the sacred privilege of being among the first peoples of the world to embrace the divine messages of Christianity through the mouths of the Apostles Barnabas, Paul and Mark, experienced in all its intensity and the messages of suffering but also of hope and faith, which derive from the Cross of the Lord. Centuries of slavery under the tyranny of many conquerors he climbed the path of Calvary with the Cross of his martyrdom on his shoulders."
However, His Beatitude continued in his greeting, the Cypriot people "remained deeply attached to their Christian roots and sources, from which they continue to drink the 'eternal drink from the empty tomb of life' through which they are enlivened and await their national resurrection. The island of saints and martyrs is today full of churches dedicated to the Holy Cross," he said.
The Archbishop continued, "three seventh holy places for which as Hellenism we feel an inner attachment, namely the Monastery of Stavrovouni, the Byzantine Church of the Holy Cross of Agiasmati near the village of Platanistasa and the Holy Monastery of the Holy Cross of Omodos, have a primary position."
His Beatitude welcomed to Cyprus "a large number of professors and researchers from universities and renowned research centres" and "warmly" congratulated Metropolitan Basil of Constantia - Famagusta for "the tireless efforts and diligence he has put into the organisation of the Conference, the members of the Scientific Organising Committee, his collaborators and the professors and researchers who will present their scientific studies at the Conference".
Distinguished professors and researchers from Cyprus, Greece, Germany, Georgia, Switzerland, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden and Lebanon will participate in the Conference and will present papers on topics related to various scientific disciplines, such as Theology, Philology, History, Archaeology and Art, Palaeography, Laography and Digital Cultural Heritage.
Source: CNA
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