ARCHBISHOP ON PILGRIMAGE TO APOSTOLOS ANDREAS
FIRST ARCHBİSHOP TO VİSİT CALLS FOR SPEEDY REPAIRS OF HISTORIC MONASTERY
Archbishop Chrysostomos this week made his first visit to on a mission to promote repairs at the historic Apostolos Andreas monastery at the tip of the Karpass Peninsula.
He said he will be visitting Istanbul on April 16-20 in the invitation of the Ecumenical Patriarch and was ready to meet Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ,who he recently asked to allow restoration of the monastery and other dilapidated churches religious sites.
Accompanıed by the Bıshop of Karpasıa Chrıstoforos,the Archbıshop crossed though Ayıos Dometios checkpoint without stopping for formalities or showıng ID documents, pausing first at Saint Barnabas monastery, where he was welcomed by the so-called tourısm mınıster Ersan Saner.
After a tour of the Apostolos Barnabas monastery, Chrysostomos and Saner had coffee together ın a local coffeeshop where the Archbishop was reported orderıng coffee with no sugar in Turkish and remarking that as a child he used to play with Turkish Cypriot boys from a near by village.
“We hope that those days, when we got along just fine and had fun will return,” Chrysostomos remarked.
“We all need it. We all need a peaceful island,” Saner answered, remembering that both his father and grandfather spoke Greek fluently. He noted the growing distance between the younger generations of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
Before travelling to the Karpass Peninsula, Chrysostomos made a stop at the Chuch of Ayia Triada, where enclaved Greek Cypriots gathered to kiss his hand and receive his blessing.
In a speech broadcast by all radio stations in the government-controlled areas, he said he was there to wish the enclaved Happy Easter and to promote the restoration of Apostolos Andreas and some 400 churches and religious monuments in the north.
“We wish to develop relations in order to assist the political leadership in its efforts to solve the Cyprus problem , so that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots can live together in a state which will be friendly to the entire world,” Chrysostomos said.
Chrystostomos stopped over at Ayios Synesios church in Rizokarpaso village, where he was greeted by pupils of the enclaved gymnasium.
The school’s Headministers Loukia Lysandrau said the Archbishop’s visit brought hope for reunification.
Without revealing details about how his visit was arranged, Chrtstosomos said he belived Ankara had given the green light after he sent a letter to Erdogan.
He said the biggest problem in starting restoration work at Apostolos Andreas monastery were the peddlers outside, who need to move further away from the main building to allow surveyors to carry out their studies.
