Several hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus concelebrated with their primate Archbishop Georgios on Sunday, including some who had previously abstained from serving with him because he commemorates the schismatic “Metropolitan” Epiphany Dumenko.
The people carried icons and the priests sprinkled the people and the streets with holy water during the procession that followed the same route as the pride parade the day before.
The newly departed priest, 72, is fondly remembered as a spiritual child of the recently canonized St. Bessarion of Agathonos and the spiritual father of hundreds throughout Greece.
Archbishop Eugenios, 55, was hospitalized with a respiratory infection and will be resting from official duties for a few days, until his health is restored.
"I come to you from Damascus, a city that, centuries ago, inherited the glory of Antioch. I come with Paschal joy in my heart, a joy that overcomes all sorrow and pain."