On Sunday, July 19, 2026, the Sunday of the 630 God-Bearing Fathers of Fourth Day Ecumenical Council, Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Theologian in Tenafly, New Jersey. Metropolitan Apostolos presided over a memorial service in memory of the victims of the illegal Turkish Invasion of Cyprus of 1974.
Following the service, the Federation of Cypriot American Organizations hosted a reception to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of the invasion. Children of the Lampousa Cypriot American organization and their Preisdent Mr. Stavros Kamilaris, presented poems to begin the afternoon’s proceedings. The guest speakers that followed included Dr. Panos Stavrianidis, President of the Hellenic Federation of New Jersey, Mr. Philip Christopher, President of the International Coordinating Committee – Justice for Cyprus, Mrs. Iphigenia Kanara, Consul General of Greece in New York, Mr. Kyriakos Pogiatzis, Consul General of the Republic of Cyprus in New York, H.E. Aglaia Balta, Permanent Representative of Greece to the U.N., and H.E. Maria Michail, Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the U.N.
Below is Metropolitan Apostolos’s Archpastoral homily on the occasion of the feast of the Holy Fathers and the 52nd anniversary of the illegal Turkish invasion of Cyprus:
“Today, on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Council, our Holy Church commemorates the 630 God-bearing Fathers who gathered in Chalcedon in the year 451 to proclaim and defend the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is perfect God and perfect Man, united in one divine Person. Their witness reminds us that the truth of Christ is not merely a theological proposition but the very source of our salvation and the foundation of our life in the Church.
In today’s Holy Gospel, our Lord speaks to His disciples saying: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). He calls us to allow His light to shine through our lives: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
The Holy Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Council fulfilled this commandment with courage and humility. They preserved the integrity of the apostolic faith so that every generation might encounter the true Christ, who is the One who took upon Himself our humanity in order to grant us eternal life. As Saint John declares, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Our salvation rests upon this profound mystery of God’s love.
The Fathers teach us that faithfulness to Christ demands both conviction and witness. They remind us that the Church is called to be a light in every age. This means a light that dispels confusion, heals divisions, and proclaims the saving truth of the Gospel.
Today, that same light of Christ calls us to remember those who have suffered injustice and tragedy. Following the Divine Liturgy, we will offer a Memorial Service marking the anniversary of the tragic events of July 1974 in Cyprus. Together, we remember all those who lost their lives, those who remain missing, and the thousands of families who were displaced from their ancestral homes as a result of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
This sacred remembrance has been organized by the Cyprus Federation of New York and New Jersey, whose devoted efforts ensure that the sacrifices and sufferings of the Cypriot people are neither forgotten nor diminished by the passage of time. We are grateful for their faithful stewardship of this sacred memory and for their commitment to educating future generations about the enduring struggles and hopes of Cyprus.
As Orthodox Christians, we remember not to cultivate bitterness but to cultivate prayer. We pray for justice without hatred, for peace without compromise of truth, and for reconciliation rooted in the dignity of every human person. Saint Paul reminds us that “if one member suffers, all suffer together” (1 Corinthians 12:26). The pain of Cyprus is not only a Cypriot pain; it is the pain of the entire Body of Christ.
The Holy Fathers whom we commemorate today understood well that truth carries with it both sacrifice and responsibility. They endured opposition in order to preserve the faith entrusted to the Church. Likewise, we are called to preserve the memory of those who suffered for their homeland, their faith, and their families, while remaining steadfast in our Christian vocation as peacemakers. Our Lord Himself proclaims, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).
Even amid tragedy, the Gospel never permits us to surrender to despair. Our hope is found in the Resurrection of Christ. The occupied churches of Cyprus, the desecrated monasteries, and the enduring witness of its faithful people testify that neither time nor adversity can extinguish the light of Christ. The light shines in the darkness, “and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:5).
May the prayers of the Holy Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Council strengthen us to remain faithful witnesses of Christ’s truth and love. May the Lord grant eternal memory to all those who perished in Cyprus, consolation to those who mourn, and His precious gift of peace and justice to the island of Cyprus and to the entire world.
