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

WCC NEWS: Church of Cyprus welcomes Orthodox from across the world to pray together

Local host and head of the Church of Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos II, welcomed members of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Inter-Orthodox Pre-Assembly at his residence in Nicosia, Cyprus, on 12 May, the Feast of Saint Epiphanius. The meeting acknowledged contributions from the Church of Cyprus to the ecumenical movement, as well as the aspiration of churches to see a united island, partitioned as result of the Turkish invasion in 1974. Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus welcomes participants at his residence in Nicosia, Cyprus on 12 May. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 13 May 2022 Archbishop Chrysostomos II warmly welcomed the members to his residence and underlined the needs for the Orthodox family to meet, discuss, pray, to prepare for the WCC 11th Assembly and try to overcome all obstacles they are facing at a time when the world is divided, and so are churches. He recalled the WCC’s important role to bring the Orthodox family together. He also acknowledged the important work by the WCC under the leadership of acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca. At the meeting, Sauca expressed appreciation for the contributions from the Church of Cyprus to the ecumenical movement. Sauca commended efforts to work towards unity and the very concrete unification of Cyprus. “Since our vision at the WCC is to promote a platform of dialogue, your country becomes a beacon of hope in a divided world, as you are seeking peace, reconciliation and love between the communities,” Sauca said. “We have for the last days experienced your great hospitality and  your strong commitment to the dialogue of life. This is one way of reminding people to build their dreams of a united, peaceful, prosperous Cyprus, even if this dream is accompanied by the memories of pain,” he said. “It is our hope and prayer that the vision of the churches and religious communities in Cyprus for peace and unity is realized,” Sauca added. Participants in the Inter-Orthodox Pre-Assembly Consultation to the World Council of Churches’ 11th Assembly visit the old city of Nicosia on 12 May. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC Honoring a legacy The archbishop hosted a lunch in Nicosia for the delegation and organised in the afternoon a visit to the old town of Nicosia, divided by the occupation. The group visited the buffer zone observed by the United Nations. The diverse Orthodox family also celebrated the Feast of Saint Epiphanius, gathering at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint George in Paralimni, Cyprus. Representatives of the 20 Easter and Oriental Orthodox WCC member churches gathered for the Feast of Saint Epiphanius. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC Chants, hymns and words of prayer filled the church as the representatives of a total of 20 different Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches from around the globe venerated the saint together. Observing a moment of prayer during the Feast of Saint Epiphanius. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC His Eminence Metropolitan Dr Vasilios of Constantia and Ammochostos of the Church of Cyprus welcomed the ecumenical group to the church, speaking of the importance of the annual day for the local church and of the legacy of Saint Epiphanius for the Church of Cyprus. His Eminence Metropolitan Dr Vasilios of Constantia and Ammochostos of the Church of Cyprus leads the service. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC Saint Epiphanius is one of two patron saints of the Church of Cyprus today, the Metropolitan explained, noting that the 4th-century bishop and metropolitan of Church of Cyprus was instrumental in shaping the early days of this WCC member church – whose autocephaly was recognized at the third ecumenical council, convened in Ephesus in AD 431. Dr Irini George of the Coptic Orthodox Church - one of the participants in the Inter-Orthodox Pre-Assembly Consultation venerates Saint Epiphanius. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 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