On 12 November 2019, Chrysostomos II, Archbishop of Nova Justiniana and All Cyprus, celebrates the 12th enthronement anniversary.
He was born in Tala village, Paphos. At the age of 10 he lost his father and two years later, after finishing his elementary education, he joined the monastery of Ayios Neophytos in Paphos. He also attended Paphos Gymnasium, graduating in 1963. On 3 November, of the same year, he was ordained deacon by the Bishop of Trimithounda, Georgios.
For five years, he served as a trustee of the monastery and also worked on a ranch. In 1968 he enrolled in the Theological School of the University of Athens and graduated in 1972.
On 19 October 1972, he was elected as the hegumen (abbot) of the Monastery of St. Neophytos. On 12 November 1972, he was ordained a presbyter and was elevated to hegumen by Archbishop Makarios III.
During Makarios III’s presidency, he stood by the Archbishop against the Junta of Athens and the three metropolitans who led the Ecclesiastical coup.
He was elected Metropolitan (Bishop) of Paphos on 25 February 1978, and his episcopal consecration took place on 26 February 1978.
During his time as a bishop, he represented the Autocephalous of the Church of Cyprus in many conferences abroad, dedicated fifty new regional temples and chapels in the Paphos District, and maintained and attended all the churches of his metropolitan periphery.
He also founded five Byzantine museums that contain the church treasures of the Paphos District. He played an important role in confronting and correcting irregularities and mismanagement in the Archdiocese, helping to preserve the Ecclesiastical fortune.
When Archbishop Chrysostomos I was removed from office (due to illness), Metropolitan Chrysostomos was elected as locum tenens, and Archiepiscopal elections were set for 24 September 2006. In October 2006, Metropolitan Chrysostomos became the new Archbishop of Cyprus as Chrysostomos II.
Source: Basilica.ro
