A First for Cyprus, A First for the Pope, in the Footsteps of St Paul
(04 Jun 10 – RV) Paphos is one of the most historic sites in Cyprus. It was considered
the birthplace of the Greek goddess Athena, and served as a religious centre in the
Mediterranean for centuries.
St. Paul visited Cyprus on his first missionary
journey, traversing the entire island. It was at Paphos that he converted the Roman
Pro-consul, Sergius Paulus to Christianity.
St. Paul’s visit to the island
is one of the chief reasons Pope Benedict is visiting Cyprus, as he announced upon
his arrival: “Following in the footsteps of our common fathers in the faith, Saints
Paul and Barnabas, I have come among you as a pilgrim and the servant of the servants
of God. Since the Apostles brought the Christian message to these shores, Cyprus
has been blessed by a resilient Christian heritage.”
The President of
Cyprus, Demetrius Christofias, welcomed the Pope, saying his presence conveys a strong
message of peace over hatred and war. He said Cyprus needs the Pope’s words of peace,
given the difficult situation the island is facing in its Turkish occupied area.
The President also drew attention to the destruction and looting of Christian sites
in Northern Cyprus since the 1974 Turkish invasion.
The Pope went from the
airport to the Church Agia Kiriaki, the site where St. Paul was said to have been
scourged at a pillar. The Church sits among the ruins of a much larger basilica,
which was destroyed by marauding Arabs in the seventh century.
The Church serves
both the local Catholic and Anglican community in the vastly Orthodox city, so it
was a fitting space for Pope Benedict to attend an Ecumenical Service, hosted by the
Orthodox Bishop of Paphos, Metropolitan Georgios.
After arriving, Pope Benedict
knelt for prayer in front of the Icons which cover the sanctuary of the church, before
going outside, where the people were gathered among the archaeological ruins. On
his way out of the Church, he met and blessed a ten-year old Sri Lankan girl, Jasmitha
Marharahasingh. The child survived brain cancer and heart surgery, and her story
had captured the heart of the Cypriot people, who named her “The Angel of Cyprus”.
Outside
of the Church, the Pope was welcomed by a choir, and Knights of the Holy Sepulchre,
since Cyprus is considered part of the Holy Land. Joining the Pope were several Orthodox
bishops, as well as representatives from the Armenian, Lutheran, and Anglican communions.
He told them “Today we can be grateful to the Lord, who through his Spirit
has led us, especially in these last decades, to rediscover the rich apostolic heritage
shared by East and West, and in patient and sincere dialogue to find ways of drawing
closer to one another, overcoming past controversies, and looking to a better future”.
The
Church in Cyprus, which serves as a bridge between East and West, has contributed
much to this process of reconciliation. The path leading to the goal of full communion
will certainly not be without its difficulties, yet the Catholic Church and the Orthodox
Church of Cyprus are committed to advancing in the way of dialogue and fraternal cooperation.”
Pope Benedict concluded his remarks by speaking about the importance of Holiness
in the Christian life. “Sanctity is the sign of the fullness of Christian life, a
profound inner docility to the Holy Spirit who calls us to constant conversion and
renewal as we strive to be ever more conformed to Christ our Saviour. Conversion
and holiness are also the privileged means by which we open our minds and hearts to
the Lord’s will for the unity of his Church”.
After the Ecumenical meeting,
Pope Benedict left Paphos by car for the nearly two hour drive from the coast to the
interior of the island, and the capital, Nicosia. The Holy Father is staying in the
apostolic nunciature, located in the UN controlled buffer zone – Within site of the
gate to the monastery which houses the Nunciature are sandbags and abandoned gun positions.
It is a stark reminder of the suffering the nation has endured over the past 35 years.