Update on the Papal visit to Cyprus

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) – The leader of Cyprus' Greek Orthodox Church is warning senior clerics opposed to Pope Benedict's visit here next month to either join in welcoming the pontiff or to keep quiet behind closed doors.

It will be the pope's first visit to the east Mediterranean island. He is coming, at the invitation of Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias, to retrace the steps of the Apostle Paul, who preached here in the 1st century A.D.

Influential Limassol Bishop Athanasios has said the Pope would do better not to come because it would provoke Orthodox Christians who view him as a heretic.

But Archbishop Chrisostomos II admonished the Bishop, saying he and other like-minded clerics "can stay at home" if they don't like the pope's visit.

Comments

  1. becketMay 25, 2010 at 2:14 PM

    They should read this article and put away their hatred.

    http://www.theanglocatholic.com/2010/05/new-hope-in-europe-%E2%80%93-holy-russia/

    ReplyDelete
  2. AndrewMay 25, 2010 at 10:26 PM

    The Bishop is not very nice =)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sam UrferMay 25, 2010 at 10:54 PM

    Worse than not very nice...he's disconnected from reality.

    ReplyDelete
  4. KonstantinaMay 31, 2010 at 7:38 AM

    Bishop Athanasios is VERY holy monk and had a very close relationship to Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain of Blessed Memory. People should be very careful to insult him before looking further into the matter. He merely voiced the concern of MANY Orthodox Christians who do not agree that the Pope has any right to be received in an Orthodox country until he repents of his heresies and humbles himself to accept the Ancient and Original Apostolic Faith that has only been preserved in the Holy Orthodox Church. (Both Elder Porphyrios and Elder Paisios held this position regarding the Pope).
    It's interesting that people like Bishop Athanasios as a spiritual teacher (as he is represented in the book "The Mountain of Silence" under the name "Fr. Maximos") but are quick to criticize him when he speaks on matters of dogma and doctrine!

    ReplyDelete

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