Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodoros II arrived on Friday to Cyprus to attend the funeral service of Archbishop Chrysostomos II, head of the Autocephalous Church of Cyprus, that will take place on Saturday at the cathedral of Saint Barnabas in Nicosia.
In statements upon his arrival in Cyprus, the Patriarch said that he will always remember the late Archbishop “as a man who loved the church, he loved Orthodoxy, he loved all people”. He also recalled that the Archbishop said that he managed to carry out the work he wanted to do.
Later on, the Patriarch went to the Saint Barnabas cathedral in Nicosia where the body of Archbishop Chrysostomos II is lying in state until Saturday morning. The Patriarch also signed the book of condolences which opened at the Archbishopric in Nicosia.
The book of condolences was also signed on Friday by the religious leaders as well as representatives of the religious communities of Cyprus.
Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus Selim Jean Sfeir accompanied by a delegation, as well as the Armenian Archbishop of Cyprus, Khoren Doghramadjian and his delegation, sang hymns in the cathedral where the late Archbishop in lying in state. They then signed the book of condolences.
The book was also signed by the representative of the Latins in Cyprus as well as Imam of Hala Sultan Teke in Larnaca, Shakir Alemdar, on behalf of the Muslims in Cyprus.
The Imam wrote that “it was a great honor and privilege to work together with Archbishop Chrysostomos II for almost 14 years” and expressed his condolences to the Archbishop’s family, the Church of Cyprus and the entire Greek Orthodox world.
The funeral service will be conducted on Saturday by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew who will visit Cyprus for the first time.
Source: Cyprus News Agency