Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Remarks sour Papal visit to Cyprus

The Bishop of Limassol has spoken out against the upcoming visit by Pope Benedict XVI.

In an interview, the Bishop described the Pope as a heretic adding that the visit would cause turmoil in the minds of the faithful, reports Phileleftheros.

Archbishop Chrysostomos replied by saying that "no one is more faithful throughout Orthodoxy" adding that Pope Benedict was coming as a pilgrim and not for talks.

Benedict’s visit to Cyprus will be the first by a pope to the island in modern times.

The pope was invited to Cyprus by Archbishop Chrysostomos, Cypriot Catholics and the government.

Christofias invited the pope to Cyprus during his visit to the Vatican in March last year.

Cyprus was one of the places visited in the first century by Saint Paul, accompanied by Saints Barnabas and Mark, as he traveled Asia Minor and the eastern Mediterranean to preach the new Christian faith.

SIC: FG