WCC NEWS: Sunday service “a manifestation of visible unity” as Orthodox churches gather in Cyprus

As church bells resounded over Paralimni, Cyprus on Sunday, the congregation gathering at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint George welcomed into their midst representatives of a wide range of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches around the world. Patriarchal Deacon Oecumenius Amanatidis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate presents the Bible to H.E. Archbishop Prof. Dr Job of Telmessos of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, during Sunday service at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint George, in Paralimni, Cyprus on 15 May. They are both participants in an Inter-Orthodox Pre-Assembly Consultation to the World Council of Churches’ 11th Assembly. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 15 May 2022 By Albin Hillert* As church bells resounded over Paralimni, Cyprus on Sunday, the congregation gathering at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint George welcomed into their midst representatives of a wide range of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches around the world. Participants in the Inter-Orthodox Pre-Assembly Consultation join local congregants for Sunday service, invited by His Eminence Metropolitan Dr Vasilios of Constantia and Ammochostos of the Church of Cyprus. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC Gathered in Cyprus on 9-16 May, an Inter-Orthodox Pre-Assembly Consultation to the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly – to be held in Karlsruhe, Germany later this year – has brought together the voices of more than 20 different Orthodox churches to reflect together on the meaning of the WCC 11th Assembly theme “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity” as well as current issues affecting Orthodox churches and the world today.  In prayer, the group has been able to come together to express their faith and share fellowship.  On Sunday, the Eucharistic service celebrated at Saint George served as a salient example of this, and a reminder of faith that is shared across traditions. His Eminence Metropolitan Dr Vasilios of Constantia and Ammochostos of the Church of Cyprus, whose hospitality has helped bring the group together in Cyprus, reflected on the significance of gathering in prayer together: “I consider the presence of you all during this Eucharistic service as a manifestation of the visible unity of our churches. To see how our faithful people are gathering here today, as they do every Sunday, and how what we have spoken about theologically is realized during the Eucharistic celebration.” His Eminence Metropolitan Dr Vasilios of Constantia and Ammochostos of the Church of Cyprus addresses the congregants. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC Hundreds of congregants were gathered at Saint George, which – as the local church has been growing in membership through the years –  today serves as one of three parishes in Paralimni. Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint George filled to the brim as congregants from all walks of life gather in worship. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC H.E. Archbishop Prof. Dr Job of Telmessos of the Ecumenical Patriarchate presided over the service, which marked the Divine Liturgy of the Sunday of the Paralytic, recalling the miracle of Jesus’s healing of a man who had been paralysed for more than 30 years (John 5:1-15). H.E. Archbishop Prof. Dr Job of Telmessos of the Ecumenical Patriarchate bows at the altar before preparing Holy Communion. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC As acting general secretary of the WCC, Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca was invited to concelebrate. WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca carries the chalice in procession through the church. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC Metropolitan Vasilios expressed gratitude to those gathered for what he described as “an important moment of the living church present in this Eucharistic service.” Turning to the participants in the Inter-Orthodox Pre-Assembly Consultation, the Metropolitan added: “My wish is that the efforts that we make during our discussions, our deliberations, and the text that we produce – not only now but every time we have such meetings – will be the basis of our way to the unity of our churches.”  Taking place in the period between Easter and Pentecost, the service was then followed by a procession around the cathedral. Congregants join an Easter procession around the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint George immediately following Sunday service on 15 May. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC Church of Cyprus welcomes Orthodox from across the world to praytogether (WCC press release of 13 May 2022) Hospitality at heart, in bringing Orthodox family together (WCC press release of 12 May 2022) Orthodox churches pray and reflect on reconciliation as WCC 11th Assembly approaches (WCC press release of 10 May 2022) Photo gallery: Inter-Orthodox pre-assembly consultation - 2022 Learn more: WCC 11th Assembly See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland