Cyprus Appeals for Russian Financial Assistance

The Cypriot government has officially requested €5 billion in financial assistance from Russia to offset losses caused by the economic crisis in nearby Greece. Cyprus chose to appeal to Russia rather than the European Union because of the lower interest rates offered by the Russian government. More 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.

Cypriot President Appoints New Government

Cypriot President Demetris Christofias has appointed a new government as the country struggles to recover from the economic impact of losing the power plant supplying most of its electricity. The new government's finance minister, economist Kikis Kazamias, has stated that Cyprus should not need a bailout from the European Union as Greece has. More 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.

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.

Cypriot Orthodox Holy Synod Meets

At its session today the Holy Synod of the Cypriot Orthodox Church expressed its concern about the possible removal of religious symbols from the classrooms of Cyprus' public schools and defended its first hierarch's public statements on political issues in the country as expressing the Church's views on developments in Cypriot life without becoming involved in politics per se. More (in Greek) 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.

New Diocesan Cathedral Consecrated in Kykkos

This past Saturday hierarchs of the Russian and Cypriot Orthodox Churches concelebrated the consecration of the new diocesan cathedral of the Cypriot Orthodox Metropolis of Kykkos. The services were concelebrated by Metropolitans Nikiforos of Kykkos, Chrysostomos of Kition, Neofitos of Morphou, Vasilios of Constantia, and Isaias of Tamassos of the Cypriot Orthodox Church; Metropolitan Alexander (Mogilev) of Astana of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan; Metropolitan Nikolai of Plovdiv of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church; and Metropolitans Theodore of Akhaltsikhe and Savva of Khoni of the Georgian Orthodox Church. More (in Russian) here.

Cypriot Orthodox Holy Synod Meets, Discusses Visit of Athens Archbishop

The Holy Synod of the Cypriot Orthodox Church met today to discuss various issues in the life of the Church and to finalize preparations for the upcoming visit of Archbishop Jerome (Liapis) of Athens to the island. More (in Greek) 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.

Orthodox Churches in the WCC Respond to Document on Ecclesiology

At a recent consultation in Cyprus various Orthodox Churches (including those who reject and accept Chalcedon) involved in the World Council of Churches issued a statement rejecting the World Council of Churches' recent statement on ecclesiology, "The Nature and Mission of the Church," describing the document as unhelpful and Western in its methodology. The consultation was led by Metropolitans Gennadios (Limouris) of Sassima of the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church and Bishoy (al-Suriani) of Damietta of the Coptic Orthodox Church and hosted by the Cypriot Orthodox Church. More here.

Turks Arrest Cypriot Orthodox Metropolitan and MEPS in Famagusta

Turkish troops in northern Cyprus have arrested Metropolitan Porphyrios of Neapolis of the Cypriot Orthodox Church and members of the European Parliament during their visit to a church in Famagusta. More 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.

Catholicos Aram Visiting Cyprus

Catholicos Aram I (Keshishian) of Sis and Cilicia of the Armenian Orthodox Church is on a pastoral visit to the Armenian Orthodox Church in Cyprus. More here.

Tensions Simmer on Cyprus

Tensions between the Cypriot Orthodox Church and Islam are continuing to rise on Cyprus as Turkish Muslims in southern Cyprus are claiming mistreatment at the hands of the Cypriot government. This comes after the Turkish administration of northern Cyprus refused to allow the celebration of new style Nativity in Cypriot Orthodox churches under its jurisdiction.

Turkish Muslims in southern Cyprus have freedom of religion and retain control of their mosques and holy sites, but are treated as second class citizens due to the memory of the Ottoman Turkish occupation and the more recent events that divided the island into Greek and Turkish halves. More here.

Nativity Services Disrupted in Turkish-Occupied Cyprus

The Turkish Cypriot regime occupying the northern third of the island has been criticized in the European Union for disrupting the celebrations on new style Nativity in one of the few remaining Cypriot Orthodox churches in the north of the island permitted to hold services. More here.

'Orthodox' Beer Featured in Porn Flick

A beer partially owned by the Cypriot Orthodox Church has been featured in a pornographic movie, apparently without the approval of the Church's representatives on the company's board. More here.