Following an enthronement ceremony that evoked the magnificence of centuries of Byzantine tradition in front of an assembly of clergy from all over the world—with the noticeable exclusion of the Russian church—Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus officially took on his new responsibilities on Sunday.
Following the Cyprus Church's decision to accept the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, in keeping with the stance of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul, Kirill, the Russian Patriarch, did not send any representatives to the ceremony at St. Barnabas Cathedral.
Church bells tolled as he arrived at the church, which was packed with dignitaries from both the state and the church. The new archbishop said he accepted the task before him, recognising the weight of his responsibility assigned to him by God.
“In Cyprus, the church has the first word. And all eyes are on me.”
The 21st century is a challenging one that is seeing traditions fall apart and people trying to build foundations on rocky ground, he said.
“The church is a refuge for people, where they turn to for answers for the questions that plague them. It is my duty to stand by and support every person.”
Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus
President Nicos Anastasiades, House President Annita Demetriou and members of the cabinet 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.
