Archbishop of Cyprus: Without Christian faith, our nations could not have survived

In an interview with Lumina Newspaper during his visit to Bucharest, His Beatitude Archbishop George of Cyprus discussed the shared values between Romania and Cyprus, emphasising that the Christian faith is the strongest bond and a source of resilience that has enabled both nations to endure challenging historical contexts.

“Cyprus’ geographical position, close to the Holy Land, allowed the Gospel to reach our island early on,” said His Beatitude. “As early as 45 AD, Apostles Barnabas, Paul, and Mark visited us, preaching Christ and delivering us from idolatry. Similarly, Romania, located along the path from East to West, also received the message of Christianity early on.”

However, this location has also brought challenges for both nations. “The geographic position of our countries—Cyprus, at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and Romania, where the Ottoman, Russian, and Austrian empires intersected—brought many hardships. Both Cyprus and Romania have been caught in the middle of disputes among various empires, with both Cypriots and Romanians subjected to foreign dynasties,” explained His Beatitude.

Archbishop George noted that the Christian faith, ingrained within both nations, helped them preserve their language and national identity through centuries of foreign rule. “Without our Christian faith, our nations could not have survived. They would have disappeared, assimilated by conquerors,” he concluded.

His Beatitude Archbishop George of New Justiniana and All Cyprus travelled to Bucharest for the Feast of Saint Demetrius the New. On Thursday, he joined the Path of the Saints procession, bringing the relics of Saint Lazarus to the pilgrimage.

Photo: Lumina Newspaper / Luigi Ivanciu

Source: basilica.ro