Chrysostomos II of Cyprus

Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus in Moscow

Archbishop Chrysostomos (Chrysostom) II, Archbishop of Nova Justiniana and All Cyprus (Greek: Χρυσόστομος Β΄, born Ηρόδοτος Δημητρίου, Hēródotos Dēmētríou on April 10, 1941) is the incumbent Archbishop of Cyprus.^[1]

Archbishop of New Justiniana and All Cyprus with the Russian president Dmitry Medvedev

He was born in Tala village, Paphos.^[2] At the age of 10 he lost his father and two years later, after finishing his elementary education, he joined the monastery of Ayios Neophytos in Paphos. He also attended Paphos Gymnasium, graduating in 1963.^[3] On November 3, of the same year he was ordained deacon by the Bishop of Trimithounda, Georgios.

For five years, he served as trustee of the monastery and also worked on a ranch. In 1968 he enrolled in the Theological School of the University of Athens and graduated in 1972. On October 19, 1972, he was elected as the hegumen (abbot) of the Monastery of St. Neophytos.^[4] On November 12, 1972, he was ordained a presbyter and was elevated to hegumen by Archbishop Makarios III.

During the Makarios III's presidency, he stood by the Archbishop against the Junta of Athens and the three metropolitans who led the Ecclesiastical coup.

He was elected Metropolitan (Bishop) of Paphos on February 25, 1978,^[5] and his episcopal consecration took place on February 26, 1978. During his time as a bishop he represented the Autocephalous of the Church of Cyprus in many conferences abroad, dedicated fifty new regional temples and chapels in the Paphos District, and maintained and attended all the churches of his metropolitan periphery. He also founded five Byzantine museums which contain the church treasures of the Paphos District. He played an important role in confronting and correcting irregularities and mismanagement in the Archdiocese, helping to preserve the Ecclesiastical fortune.

When Archbishop Chrysostomos I was removed from office (due to illness), Metropolitan Chrysostomus was elected as locum tenens, and Archiepiscopal elections were set for September 24, 2006. In October 2006, Metropolitan Chrysostomos became the new Archbishop of Cyprus as Chrysostomus II.

Chrysostomos II is known for his right-wing nationalist views and has been accused of purposely stoking culture of racism. He branded illegal immigrants in Cyprus as "interlopers who do not belong on the island" and admits espousing several other political ideas of Cyprus' National People’s Front (ELAM), a fanatical movement whose members wear black uniforms and whose literature is being investigated for violating anti-racism laws.^[6][7]

Chrysostomos II was received during a private Papal audience with Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican city-state. Their discussions involved the safety of Christians in the Middle East as a result of an ongoing political tension between warring countries.

References

1. ^ Archbishop Chrysostomos II: Our enemy is Ankara, not N. Cypriot Turks. Hurriyet.
2. ^ Biography of Archbishop Chrysostomos II Church of Cyprus official website, retrieved 06-06-2010
3. ^ ibid.
4. ^ ibid.
5. ^ ibid.
6. ^ http://www.cyprus-mail.com/religion/our-view-archbishop-purposely-stoking-culture-racism/20101229
7. ^ http://www.trncpio.org/trncpio/en/index.asp?sayfa=haberdetay&newsid=899

See also

• List of Archbishops of Cyprus

Preceded by Chrysostomos I

Archbishop of Cyprus 2006–

Succeeded by Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Chrysostomos 02 Of Cyprus
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Date of birth	April 10, 1941
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death