The eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus remains in a public and ecclesiastical period of, a day after the Repose in the Lord of Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos II.
The Primate of the Autocephalous Church of Cyprus, Archbishop of New Justinian and All Cyprus, passed away on Monday at the age of 81, after a courageous battle against cancer.
Flags will fly at half-staff in the free parts of the island republic until Saturday, the day an exodios funeral service will be conducted, followed by interment.
The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His All Holiness Bartholomew I, will officiate at the funeral services, which are expected to be attended by Primates of Orthodox Churches and Patriarchates, hierarchs, clerics, office-holders, diplomats and numerous mourners from Cyprus and abroad.
His All Holiness’ arrival on Cyprus marks his first visit as Primate of the Mother Church to the island republic since his enthronement 31 years ago.
Condolences have been issued by Patriarchates around the world, including by the Patriarch of Bulgaria, His Holiness Neophyte, and the Patriarch of All Romania, His Beatitude Daniel.
From Australia, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, officiated at a Trisagion prayer service for the repose of the soul of Chrysostomos, while in a statement, His Eminence conveyed his heartfelt condolences as well as those of the entire Holy Archdiocese of Australia, to “…the Most Holy Church of Cyprus, the state and the people of that great island, to his relatives, as well as to the approximately 100,000 Cypriots living in Australia.”
From another part of the world, the Archbishop of America, His Eminence Elpidophoros, noted that “…With deep sorrow, I learned of the passing of Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus … A bold advocate of Orthodox unity, who was instrumental in reforming the Church of Cyprus.”
