Head of Cyprus Church threatens hierarchs who did not recognize OCU

Archbishop Chrysostomos. Photo: orthodoxia.info

The head of the Cypriot Orthodox Church, Archbishop Chrysostomos, said that he had "ways to put in place" those members of the synod who do not agree with the recognition of the OCU, reports the Orthodoxia.info publication.

Cypriot synodals Metropolitans Athanasios of Limassol, Neophytos of Morphou, Nikiforos of Kykkos, Isaiah of Tamassos, as well as Bishops Nikolaos of Amafuntos and Epifanios of Ledra, who do not agree with the recognition of the OCU, refused to take part in the conciliar service scheduled by the Holy Synod of Cyprus for July 10 – the Feast of Archbishop Cyprian of Cyprus.

In the opinion of Archbishop Chrysostomos, the refusal of these hierarchs to concelebrate at the worship “speaks of disrespect for the decisions of the Synod” and “an attempt to circumvent or despise the primate.”

The archbishop stated that hierarchs “must always take into account that I am still an archbishop. I am not dead. I'm still alive".

According to the Primate of the Church of Cyprus, the hierarchs who refuse to concelebrate with him are “mistaken”, and if he “starts putting things right,” the metropolitans “will cease to be members of the synod, since they do not respect the Holy Synod.” “That is why I am silent so as not to harm the Church,” noted Chrysostomos.

When asked whether the crisis with regard to the rupture of Eucharistic communion (in the Cypriot Church - Ed.) is deepening, Archbishop Chrysostom replied that "if this issue deepens, then the Church must act in a strict way."

“I have ways to put them (the metropolitans who disagree with the recognition of the OCU – Ed.) in their place, but I will not start now,” he stressed.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the Primate of the Cypriot Orthodox Church, Archbishop Chrysostomos, said that he was "not interested" in the opinion of the members of the Holy Synod on the OCU.

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