Cyprus: Metropolitan Isaias Remembers Emperor Konstantinos

On 31 May 2020, His Eminence Metropolitan Isaias of Tomasos and Oreini led a memorial service for the last Byzantine Emperor,Konstantinos XI Palaiologos,who died defending the Queen of Cities, Constantinople, from the Ottoman Turks on 29 May 1453.The service was held before a replica of an iconic statue of the heroic Emperor in the Metropolis compound, which includes the new Russian Church of St. Andrew that serves the many Russian expatriates in Cyprus.His Eminence said that:
As long as a Greek heart beats, the memory of the City's fall will be reborn in our souls.*
The Byzantine Empire, over its thousand year history, became a beacon of culture and the humanities,as well as an exponent of the Eastern Orthodox faith.It achieved this through a juxtoposition of classical Greek culture,Roman law and Christianity.They referred to themselves as "the Romaioi", the Romans, because they lived in the Eastern half of the Roman Empire - the half that ultimately survived until 1453 and,in certain respects, even until our own era.
As His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America reflected on 29 May:
What matters most is that the legacy of the Christian Roman Empire is incarnate in the sacred person of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the continuing diakonia (service) of the Great Church that continues to this day.*

Church of Cyprus Wants to Publicly Celebrate Pascha in May

His Eminence Metropolitan Isaias of Tomasos and Oreini (Church of Cyprus) reassures the faithful that Pascha is neither postponed nor cancelled this year.The Church will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on 27 May, the Apodosis (Leave-taking) of Pascha, as it in fact always does-only this year more widely, he told Andreas Dmitropoulos on Sigma TV's "Protoselido" (Front Page) programme.*

Every year, Easter is liturgically recapitulated 39 days after the feast day,yet few take note.It is done with the same Divine service and completes the festive cycle and messages of the feast.One day before the feast of the Ascension, the Church recaps Pascha.For the last time,we can crack eggs as we complete the Resurrection cycle.
If the State wants,it can make the Apodosis a public holiday this year for the people.Should the restrictions still be in force in late May, the Apodosis will have to be observed behind closed doors, however, Metropolitan Isaias said.*
The Church of Greece is planning the same thing.So far,no word from the Ecumenical Patriarchate on plans to emphasise the Apodosis this year.*

Metropolitan Emmanuel of France Visits Cyprus for St.Barnabas Day

On 11 June 2019,the Feast of the Holy Apostle Barnabas,founder of the Church of Cyprus,was observed with a Divine Liturgy at the Church of St.Barnabas in Dasoupolis,Nicosia,Cyprus,concelebrated by His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II of New Justiniana and All Cyprus and several other hierarchs,including:
His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France (Ecumenical Patriarchate);
His Eminence Metropolitan Isaias of Tomassos and Oreini (Church of Cyprus);
His Grace Bishop Nikodimos of Nitria (Patriarchate of Alexandria);
and several other clerics.*
At the liturgy's conclusion,Metropolitan Emmanuel read a congratulatory message from His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarchate Bartholomew of Constantinople.In response,Archbishop Chrysostomos warmly expressed his gratitude for the message and Metropolitan Emmanuel's visit,and his love for Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy and Great Church of Christ at Constantinople,which,Archbishop Chrysostomos noted,has repeatedly supported the Church of Cyprus.