Church Delegation Attended the Enthronement of the New Archbishop of Cyprus.
The official ceremony of the enthronement of Archbishop Georgios of New Justinian and All Cyprus was attended by a delegation from the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania that was represented by His Grace Dimitrios, the Metropolitan of Gjirokaster, Fr. Joan Merkuri, the Protopresbyter and Mr. Orfea Beci.
At the dinner that followed on the occasion, a letter which was written for the new Primate of the Church of Cyprus by His Beatitude Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana, Durres and all Albania was read. After the reading of the letter, a symbolic gift was handed and that was the icon of the Resurrection of Christ.
The full text of the letter:
THE ORTHODOX AUTOCEPHALOUS CHURCH OF ALBANIA.
Your Beatitude Georgios, Archbishop of New Justinian and all Cyprus, our most beloved and dearest brother and concelebrant in Christ,
After warmly greeting your election as Archbishop of New Justinian and all Cyprus, (through our letter on December 24, 2022), we were happy to receive a friendly letter from your Beatitude, through which we officially learned about your election as Archbishop of New Justinian and all Cyprus in succession to our beloved late brother Chrysostom II.
As the Church tradition requires, we extend our congratulations for taking the historical responsibility of leading the Apostolic Church of Cyprus. And we fervently pray to our Triadic God that you maintain your orthodox faith intact and unchanged, taking advantage of the gifts that our Lord has granted you, while leading the chosen orthodox people of this island of martyrs, with full wisdom, permanent love, steadfast patience and always contributing to the orthodox church unity and the radiation of truth, love and beauty of the revelation of Christ.
From the bottom of our heart, we pray that God grant us all strength so that “…we may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light.” (Col. 1:10-12).
Embracing your holiness, we remain with great respect and profound brotherly love in Christ and in our “Lord who revealed Himself to give light to the world”.
Tiranë, on 4 January 2023.
To Your Dearest Beatitude,
Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durres and all Albania
Also, Archbishop Anastasios expressed his warm and substantive congratulations in the note which was attached to the icon of the Resurrection of Christ.
Anastasios,
Archbishop of Tirana, Durres and All Albania
On the occasion of your enthronement, we are sending this icon of the Resurrection of Christ as a modest and symbolic gift wishing deeply that the crossresurrectional spirit inspire and determine your work as a Church leader.
Anastasios
4.1.2023
On the other side, Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus expressed his gratitude regarding the above letter and addressed Archbishop Anastasios with the most heartfelt words recalling that he had been his professor in the Theological University of Athens. He claimed that Archbishop Anastasios is a wise and prudent church leader and emphasized the wondrous work of resurrection that has been made out of the ashes of atheistic persecution of the Orthodox Church in Albania.
