Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus
Encyclopedia
Archbishop Chrysostomos (Chrysostom) II, Archbishop of Nova Justiniana and All Cyprus
is the incumbent Archbishop
of Cyprus
.
He was born in Tala village, Paphos
. At the age of 10 he lost his father and two years later, after finishing his elementary education, he joined the monastery of Ayios Neophytos in Paphos. He also attended Paphos Gymnasium, graduating in 1963. On November 3, of the same year he was ordained deacon by the Bishop of Trimithounda, Georgios.
For five years, he served as trustee of the monastery and also worked on a ranch. In 1968 he enrolled in the Theological School of the University of Athens and graduated in 1972. On October 19, 1972, he was elected as the hegumen
(abbot) of the Monastery of St. Neophytos. On November 12, 1972, he was ordained a presbyter
and was elevated to hegumen by Archbishop Makarios III
.
During the Makarios III's presidency, he stood by the Archbishop against the Junta of Athens and the three metropolitans who led the Ecclesiastical coup
.
He was elected Metropolitan (Bishop) of Paphos on February 25, 1978, and his episcopal consecration took place on February 26, 1978. During his time as a bishop he represented the Autocephalous of the Church of Cyprus in many conferences abroad, dedicated fifty new regional temples and chapels in the Paphos District, and maintained and attended all the churches of his metropolitan periphery. He also founded five Byzantine museums which contain the church treasures of the Paphos District.
He played an important role in confronting and correcting irregularities and mismanagement in the Archdiocese, helping to preserve the Ecclesiastical fortune.
When Archbishop Chrysostomos I
was removed from office (due to illness), Metropolitan Chrysostomus was elected as locum tenens, and Archiepiscopal elections were set for September 24, 2006. In October 2006, Metropolitan Chrysostomos became the new Archbishop of Cyprus as Chrysostomus II.
Chrysostomos II is known for his right-wing nationalist views and has been accused of purposely stoking culture of racism. He branded illegal immigrants in Cyprus as "interlopers who do not belong on the island" and admits espousing several other political ideas of Cyprus' National People’s Front
(ELAM), a fanatical movement whose members wear black uniforms and whose literature is being investigated for violating anti-racism laws.
Chrysostomos II was received during a private Papal audience with Pope
Benedict XVI in the Vatican
city-state. Their discussions involved the safety of Christians in the Middle East as a result of an ongoing political tension between warring countries.
Cypriot Orthodox Church
The Church of Cyprus is an autocephalous Greek church within the communion of Orthodox Christianity. It is one of the oldest Eastern Orthodox autocephalous churches, achieving independence from the Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East in 431...
is the incumbent Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
.
He was born in Tala village, Paphos
Paphos
Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...
. At the age of 10 he lost his father and two years later, after finishing his elementary education, he joined the monastery of Ayios Neophytos in Paphos. He also attended Paphos Gymnasium, graduating in 1963. On November 3, of the same year he was ordained deacon by the Bishop of Trimithounda, Georgios.
For five years, he served as trustee of the monastery and also worked on a ranch. In 1968 he enrolled in the Theological School of the University of Athens and graduated in 1972. On October 19, 1972, he was elected as the hegumen
Hegumen
Hegumen, hegumenos, igumen, or ihumen is the title for the head of a monastery of the Eastern Orthodox Church or Eastern Catholic Churches, similar to the one of abbot. The head of a convent of nuns is called hegumenia or ihumenia . The term means "the one who is in charge", "the leader" in...
(abbot) of the Monastery of St. Neophytos. On November 12, 1972, he was ordained a presbyter
Presbyter
Presbyter in the New Testament refers to a leader in local Christian congregations, then a synonym of episkopos...
and was elevated to hegumen by Archbishop Makarios III
Makarios III
Makarios III , born Andreas Christodolou Mouskos , was the archbishop and primate of the autocephalous Cypriot Orthodox Church and the first President of the Republic of Cyprus ....
.
During the Makarios III's presidency, he stood by the Archbishop against the Junta of Athens and the three metropolitans who led the Ecclesiastical coup
Ecclesiastical coup
The Ecclesiastical coup is the name given to the events staged by three bishops of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus against the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III in the period from March 1972 to July 1973.-Background:...
.
He was elected Metropolitan (Bishop) of Paphos on February 25, 1978, and his episcopal consecration took place on February 26, 1978. During his time as a bishop he represented the Autocephalous of the Church of Cyprus in many conferences abroad, dedicated fifty new regional temples and chapels in the Paphos District, and maintained and attended all the churches of his metropolitan periphery. He also founded five Byzantine museums which contain the church treasures of the Paphos District.
He played an important role in confronting and correcting irregularities and mismanagement in the Archdiocese, helping to preserve the Ecclesiastical fortune.
When Archbishop Chrysostomos I
Archbishop Chrysostomos I
Archbishop Chrysostomos I was the Archbishop of Cyprus from 1977 to 2006. He was born in the village of Statos in Paphos, Cyprus. By the scholarship of Kykkos Monastery, where he served as a monk, he finished the Pancyprian Gymnasium in 1950 and he studied theology and literature in the...
was removed from office (due to illness), Metropolitan Chrysostomus was elected as locum tenens, and Archiepiscopal elections were set for September 24, 2006. In October 2006, Metropolitan Chrysostomos became the new Archbishop of Cyprus as Chrysostomus II.
Chrysostomos II is known for his right-wing nationalist views and has been accused of purposely stoking culture of racism. He branded illegal immigrants in Cyprus as "interlopers who do not belong on the island" and admits espousing several other political ideas of Cyprus' National People’s Front
ELAM (Cyprus)
ELAM , the National Popular Front , is a nationalist movement founded in 2008 in the Republic of Cyprus. It describes its ideology as "popular and social nationalism" and promoting Greek nationalism. The Cyprus Mail describes it as an "extreme right wing party", as "ultra right-wing"...
(ELAM), a fanatical movement whose members wear black uniforms and whose literature is being investigated for violating anti-racism laws.
Chrysostomos II was received during a private Papal audience with Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Benedict XVI in the Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
city-state. Their discussions involved the safety of Christians in the Middle East as a result of an ongoing political tension between warring countries.