Head of Cyprus: Nikiforos and Athanasios unhappy for not taking my place

Archbishop Chrysostomos. Photo: politis.com.cy

Archbishop Chrysostomos criticized the hierarchs who did not recognize the OCU and accused them that they “did not forget” their defeat in the election of the Primate of the Church of Cyprus in 2006.

On December 28, 2020, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos, in an interview with the “Politis”, accused Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos and Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol for criticizing him for recognizing Dumenko "out of malice", since they "did not forget" their defeat in the elections for the post of the primate of the Church of Cyprus in 2006.

“None of them forgot that not they became the Archbishop but me. This is where it all begins,” said the head of the Church of Cyprus.

Archbishop Chrysostomos said that he "told the Holy Synod to remain neutral (on the" Ukrainian issue" – Ed.) because I may be the only one who can intervene to bring the Patriarchate of Constantinople and Moscow closer together.

According to him, Metropolitans Nikiforos and Athanasios did not make their decision to recognize the OCU "out of malice".

He also said that Metropolitan Nikiforos allegedly insulted him twice. “Can I then call him (Metropolitan Nikiforos – Ed.) a fool?” the head of the Church of Cyprus asked the journalist.

Archbishop Chrysostomos reported that on the night before the elections for the post of Primate of the Church of Cyprus, he called Metropolitan Nikiforos and suggested that he withdraw his candidacy.

“I called the Metropolitan of Kykkos on the night before the elections and said to him: “I want you to vote for me tomorrow, and I will submit my resignation letter from today. I will write a letter of resignation, sign it in red ink and give it to you for safekeeping. But I want you to support me, and in a year I will leave,” said Archbishop Chrysostomos.

However, Metropolitan Nikiforos rejected this proposal, to which Archbishop Chrysostomos replied that he would agree with Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol and "throw out" Metropolitan Nikiforos.

According to him, he promised that if he did not become the Primate of the Church of Cyprus, he would help Metropolitan Athanasios in the event of the latter's victory: “I told him that he had more chances to be elected, but I knew that I had more chances.” In 2006, Archbishop Chrysostomos became the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus.

As reported earlier, the Primate of the Church of Cyprus denies the fact that he and the head of the Phanar were financed by the United States.

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