JOINT PATRIARCHAL AND PRIMATIAL SERVICE IN ST NIKOLAS, STEGI
On Saturday, the 17th/30th of August 2014, His Beatitude, Archbishop Theophilos of Jerusalem, arrived in Cyprus accompanied by the Elder Secretary-General, His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, and the Reverend Archdeacon Evlogios.
His Beatitude was welcomed at Larnaca airport by His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus and the Exarch of the Holy Sepulcher in Cyprus, Metropolitan Timotheos of Vostroi, accompanied by Hierodeacon f. Christodoulos.
From there, Their Beatitudes were driven to the recently renovated and inaugurated Exarchy of the Holy Sepulcher, where the Exarch had already prepared their welcoming.
At noon, Metropolitan Timotheos hosted Their Beatitudes and the Cypriot Education Minister, Mr Kadis, to lunch.
In the afternoon, Vespers was held at the Church of the Exarchy, led by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. In the evening, Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus hosted the Patriarch, His retinue and other guests, to dinner at the Holy Archbishopric of Cyprus.
On the morning of Sunday, the 18th/31st of August 2014, the Joint Patriarchal and Primatial Service was led by Their Beatitudes, Patriarch Theophilos and Archbishop Chrysostomos. Co-officiating were the Exarch, Metropolitan Timotheos of Vostroi; Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina; Metropolitan Gregorios of Mesaoria of the Church of Cyprus; Archimandrite Romanos of the Patriarchate of Antioch; Archdeacon Evlogios and Archdeacon Kyprianos. Cantors from the Youths of the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and the Church of Cyprus, sang in Greek and Arabic in the Byzantine style. The participating youth observed the service and partook of consecrated bread and wine, whilst listening to Their Beatitudes’ words of blessing, consolation and spiritual teaching.
At noon, Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus hosted the Patriarch, His retinue and all participating campers to lunch. During lunch, campers performed religious songs and traditional dances.
After repose, the Patriarchal and Primatial Retinues were hosted to dinner offered by Metropolitan Chrysanthos of Kition at his Bishopric.
After dinner, His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem and His Retinue boarded a Cyprus Airways flight for Ben Gurion airport.
From the Secretariat-General