Cypriot Archbishop Visiting Georgia

Archbishop Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of the Cypriot Orthodox Church has begun a visit to Georgia at the invitation of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church. More (in Greek) here.

Cypriot Orthodox Archbishop to Seek Help of Jordanian King

Archbishop Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of the Cypriot Orthodox Church will reportedly return to Jordan next week to request the help of King Abdullah II in gaining permission from Northern Cypriot authorities for Cypriot Orthodox clergy to serve the Divine Liturgy in Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus' abandoned churches and monasteries. In recent discussions between Cypriot and Northern Cypriot authorities the Church of Cyprus acquiesced to Northern Cyprus' request that imams be allowed to lead services in mosques in Cyprus proper, but Northern Cyprus refused to reciprocate in allowing Cypriot Orthodox clergy to visit the Turkish zone of occupation. More here.

Hierarchs of Middle Eastern Orthodox Churches Meet in Amman

Patriarch Theophilos III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem and the Holy Land; Archbishop Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of the Cypriot Orthodox Church; Metropolitan Nikolaos of Hermopolis of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church; Metropolitans Aristarchos (Peristeris) of Constantina, Venediktos (Tsekouras) of Philadelphia, and Dorotheos (Leovaris) of Avila of the Jerusalemite Orthodox Church; and a clergyman representing the Antiochian Orthodox Church have met in Amman, Jordan, to discuss the current state of the Local Orthodox Churches based in the Middle East, inter-Orthodox issues in the Middle East and abroad, and ongoing political developments in the Middle East. More (in Greek) here.

Unrest Embroils Cyprus

Cyprus has been embroiled in unrest following an explosion that killed 13 people and knocked out the country's main power plant. A recent government agreement with Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus to buy electricity from the island's north until the damaged power plant can be brought back online has deepened public protests against the Cypriot government, with Archbishop Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of the Cypriot Orthodox Church saying that he would prefer to "make do with a torch" than use electricity supplied by Northern Cyprus. More here.

40th Anniversary of Patriarch Maxim's Enthronement Celebrated in Sofia

Celebrations are being held today in Sofia, Bulgaria, to mark the 40th anniversary of the enthronement of Patriarch Maxim (Minkov) of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Delegations representing the Constantinopolitan, Alexandrian, Jerusalemite, Russian, Georgian, Serbian, Cypriot, Greek, Albanian, Polish, and Czechoslovak Orthodox Churches are present in the Bulgarian capital to participate in the celebratory Sunday Liturgy served this morning in Sofia's Cathedral of St. Alexander of the Neva.

Archbishop Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of the Cypriot Orthodox Church and Metropolitan Christopher (Pulec) of the Czechoslovak Orthodox Church are present in person to participate in the celebrations. More (in Bulgarian) here.

Metropolitan Hilarion Visits Cyprus, Meets with Archbishop Chrysostomos

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk has begun a visit to Cyprus, visiting various Cypriot Orthodox holy places and meeting with Archbishop Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of Nea Justiniana to discuss relations between the Russian and Cypriot Orthodox Churches. More (in Russian) here.

Kazakh Orthodox Metropolitan Visits Cyprus

As part of his visit to Cyprus this past weekend to participate in the consecration of the new diocesan cathedral of the Metropolis of Kykkos Metropolitan Alexander (Mogilev) of Astana and the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan visited the diocesan administrations of the Archdiocese of Nea Justiniana and the Metropolis of Tamassos, during which he met with Archbishop Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of Nea Justiniana and Metropolitan Isaias of Tamassos. Metropolitan Alexander concelebrated the Sunday Liturgy in the Cypriot capital, Nicosia, with Metropolitans Isaias of Tamassos and Nikolai of Plovdiv, with Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos in attendance. More (in Russian) here.

Cypriot Orthodox Church Rejects Criticism of Its Role in Cypriot Life

Archbishop Chrysostomos II (Dimitriou) of Nea Justiniana has defended the role of the Cypriot Orthodox Church in Cypriot life, saying that it has preserved the identity and faith of the Cypriot people for centuries and "is determined to continue to serve [Cyprus]." More (in Greek) here.

Cypriot Orthodox Archbishop Calls for Turkish Withdrawal

In an interview with the Turkish-language newspaper Milliyet, Archbishop Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of the Cypriot Orthodox Church has stated that he believes the division of Cyprus could be ended immediately were the Turkish government to withdraw its soldiers from the island and give Cyprus' Greeks and Turks the freedom necessary to restore the unity of Cyprus. More here.

St. Philip of Moscow Celebrated in the Kremlin

In honor of the feast of St. Philip of Moscow Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow and Archbishop Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of Nea Justiniana concelebrated the festal Divine Liturgy today in the Kremlin's Holy Dormition Cathedral together with hierarchs of the Alexandrian, Russian, and Cypriot Orthodox Churches. More here.

Cypriot Archbishop Meets with Medvedev

Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow and Archbishop Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of Nea Justiniana met today with President Dmitriy A. Medvedev in the Moscow Kremlin. Archbishop Chrysostomos is in Russia to receive an award for strengthening the unity of Orthodox nations. More here.

Cypriot Orthodox Archbishop Visits Russia

Archbishop Chrysostomos II (Englistriotis) of Nea Justiniana and All Cyprus arrived in Moscow today on a visit to the Russian Orthodox Church. His visit began with a stop at the city's Christ the Savior Church, the largest church in Russia (and the Orthodox world?). More here.