ENTHRONEMENT OF THE NEW EXARCH IN CYPRUS BY THE ALEXANDRIAN PRIMATE

On Sunday 31st March 2019, the 3rd Sunday of Great and Holy Lent, the day on which our Church celebrates the veneration of the Precious and Life-giving Cross, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, served the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy at the Historic of St Savvas the Sanctified in old Nicosia, con-celebrating with Their Eminences Metropolitans Seraphim of Zimbabwe, George of Guinea, Patriarchal Exarch in Athens, Nicodemus of Memphis Patriarchal Vicar of Cairo, His Grace Nicodemus Bishop of Nitria, the new Exarch of the Alexandrian Church in Cyprus, the Very Reverend Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Apostle Barnabas and Chancellor of the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus Archimandrite Ioannis, representing His Beatitude the Archbishop of Cyprus and other clergy.

Before the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, the Alexandria Primate conducted the consecration of two Readers, that of Mr. Panayiotis Hatzigeorgiou and Mr. Christodoulos Lambrinides, who for many years have served as Readers of the Holy Church of St Savvas.

Then, according to the Order of the ancient Patriarchate of Alexandria and with great majesty, the Ceremony of Enthronement of the New Patriarchal Exarch of the Alexandrian Church in Cyprus, Nishop Nicodemus of Nitria, was conducted.

Present at the Enthronement Ceremony were His Excellency the Ambassador of Greece Mr. Elias Fotopoulos, the Exarch of the patriarchate of Jerusalem in Cyprus His Eminence Metropolitan Timotheos of Voistron, the Director of Secondary Education of the Ministry of Edycation in Cyprus Mr. Kyprianos Louis as a representative of the Minister of Education, the Chief of the National Guard Lieutenant General Elias Leontaris, a Representative of the Cyprus Police, the Mayor of Geri Mr. Neophytos Tornaritis, the President of the Movement for Solidarity and MEP candidate, Mrs.Eleni Theocharous, others diplomats, the great benefactors of the Patriarchate of Alexandria Messrs. Konstantinos Tsirides and Ioannis Kasoulides, Archon Office Bearers of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, a representative of the Mayor of Nicosia, as well as many friends and supporters of the efforts of the Alexandrian Church in Cyprus.

The Enthronement Ceremony was followed by the address of His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II, who spoke of the historic journey of the Exarchate of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in Cyprus and of its importance for the Alexandrian Throne, because as he said, the Churches of Alexandria and Cyprus are connected through ties of fraternal love and mutual support, as confirmed by the recent concession by Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus of the Holy Church of St Savvas and its surrounding facilities for the needs of the exarchate in Cyprus.

His Beatitude also expressed his joy at the presence of all those in the church. He mentioned, also, the presence of the Representative of the Archbishop of Cyprus, Abbot Fr. Ioannis, expressing fervent gratitude to the Primate of the apostolic Church of Cyprus, for all that he has contributed and continues to contribute, as well as for the presence of his representative at the Ceremony.

Abbot Fr Ioannis then conveyed the wishes of His Beatitude and offered on behalf of the Archbishop a Hierarchal pectoral Cross and Medallion to the newly-enthrone Exarch, saying that each Exarch of the Patriarchate of Alexandria is the connection between the Churches of Alexandria and Cyprus.

The Abbot also referred to the start of the relationship between the two churches, referring to the founder of the Church of Cyprus, the Apostle Barnabas and his cousin nephew John Mark, apostle and evangelist and founder of the Alexandrian Church, and did not fail to mention the catalytic presence of Patriarch Kyrillos Loukaris in the strengthening and tightening of the relationship between the two Churches.

The Abbot assured both the Patriarch of Alexandria as well as the new Exarch that the doors of the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus and the hearts of all, will always be open for whatever need arises.

His Grace Nicodemus, Bishop of Nitria, then gave his Enthronement address. After the Ceremony His Eminence Metropolitan George of Guinea presented the boo written by the Lady of the Churches and colleague of the Patriarchate of Alexandria Mrs. Ariadne Psillos, entitled “Efterpe”, referring to the venerable life of the late Mother Efterpe Hiotellis.

In conclusion, the official lunch, which was paid for by the Archon Office bearer of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, who comes from Paphos, Mr. Konstantinos Tsirides, was hosted at the Hilton Hotel in Nicosia, in honour of the Alexandrian Primate on the occasion of the enthronement of the new Exarch in Cyprus and took place with the presence of His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus and other invited guests.