Metropolitan Georgios of Paphos Elected Next Archbishop of Cyprus - revised

Following the passing of Archbishop Chrysostomos II,His Eminence Metropolitan Georgios of Paphos,73,was elected the new Archbishop of New Justiniana and All Cyprus,successor to the holy apostle St.Barnabas,on 24 December 2022 by the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus in the chapel of St.Barnabas at the archdiocesan headquarters in Nicosia,afterwords gathering for the official announcement ceremony at the Katholikon of St.John in Nicosia,capital of Cyprus.Representing the government of Cyprus was Mr.Prodromos Prodromou,Minister of Education.Metropolitan Georgios got 11 votes,while Metropolitan Athanasios of Limmasol got four votes.All members of the Holy Synod then endorsed his election.* Metropolitan Georgios was born in Athienou,Cyprus on 25 May 1949.He graduated from the Pancyprian Gymnasium in 1967.From 1968-1972,he studied Chemistry in the University of Athens,Greece.This was followed by Theology studies there from 1976-1980.He did further study in these two subjects in England,and taught Chemistry in secondary schools.Metropolitan Georgios was ordained to the diaconate on 23 December 1984,and was subsequently ordained presbyter and named an archimandrite by His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos I on 17 March 1985. Paphos Georgios was arrested and abused by Turkish troops during an anti-occupation protest event in 1989.He filed an Appeal against Turkey in the Council of Europe Human Rights Commission.The Council condemned Turkey for violating Paphos Georgios' human rights and imposed a fine on Turkey.* On 24 April 1996,Paphos Georgios was elected Bishop of Arsinoe and ordained to the episcopacy on 26 May 1996.On 26 December 2006, His Eminence was elected Metropolitan of Paphos.* Paphos Georgios has represented the Church of Cyprus in the ecumenical dialogues with the Lutheran and Reformed churches.He is president of the Holy Synod Committee on Bioethics and Education.