Church of Cyprus plans to recognize OCU

The Church of Cyprus plans to recognize Metropolitan Epifaniy. “The time will come for His Beatitude Epifaniy to visit Cyprus and to concelebrate with us,” Archbishop Chrisostomos said, Cerkvarium reports, citing the Greek media outlet Phos Phanariou, Light of the Phanar.

The Primate of the Church of Cyprus said that he had heard Metropolitan Epifaniy expressing a desire to establish communion and replied that it is quite natural. He also noted that Epifaniy had already visited Cyprus previously, knows the local situation well and speaks Greek.

Archbishop Chrysostomos has given such an answer to Metropolitan Elpidophoros of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, who is on a visit to the Orthodox Church of Cyprus. Metropolitan Elpidophoros has gifted to Chrysostom his newly published book on the visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine in 2008.

Also, the Head of the Cypriot Church has said that he considers the Ecumenical Patriarchate to be the Mother Church, emphasizing that “he maintains good relations with the Phanar, which he will preserve despite any difficulties.”

Metropolitan Elpidophoros has also mentioned the close relationship and historical, church and spiritual ties established between the Church of Cyprus and the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

On January 26, at the University of Limassol, Metropolitan Elpidophor is to read an open lecture on Church and Diplomacy.