Synod of Cyprus adds prayers for Turks expulsion to Encomia of Holy Saturday

The cover of the new order of the Encomia of Holy Saturday in the Church of Cyprus. Photo: UOJ

The Synod of the Church of Cyprus approved the inclusion of new encomia (praiseful troparia) in the Blameless at the Matins of Holy Saturday. The decision was adopted at a meeting on January 14, 2026, at the proposal of Archbishop Georgios.

The updated edition of the service book has already been printed and is available to all who wish it. This year it will be used in the services of the Cyprus Church.

At the end of each of the three stases of the Encomia, four new troparia have been added before the final prescribed troparion and the doxastikon. All of them are dedicated to the occupation of the northern part of the island and contain prayerful petitions for the liberation of the homeland and the expulsion of the Turkish occupiers. The Synod recommended that communities with the tradition of chanting all the encomia in full include the new troparia in their liturgical practice.

At the end of the first stasis, there are petitions to “quickly deliver from the bondage of the evil one” the people residing in Cyprus, to return to their ancestral homes and dwellings “those who honor Your glorious burial,” and also to swiftly expel the “descendants of Hagar” (that is, the Turks).

In the troparia of the second stasis, there is a plea to “see the resurrection of the fatherland of Cyprus” in the same way as “Your three-day Rising.”

In the third stasis, the authors of the troparia appeal to Christ with a request to rise quickly and break the bonds of slavery that have bound Cyprus, and also to "see freedom from the descendants of Hagar."

"With Your resurrection, O Word, we ask to see also the resurrection of the fatherland," it is said in the troparion.

As follows from the introductory word to the edition, the authors of the texts proceeded from the fact that in the emotionally charged atmosphere of this service, the faithful will more deeply realize the danger to which Cyprus is subjected and will offer more fervent prayers "for deliverance from enslavement by foreigners."

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that at a meeting with Zelensky, Patriarch Bartholomew drew a parallel between the Resurrection of Christ and the "resurrection of Ukraine".

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