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The former Metropolitan of Kition, Chrysostomos, who once faced criminal charges and a suspended prison sentence for indecent assault, has died at the age of 87.
The Holy Metropolis of Tamasos and Orini confirmed his passing on Sunday evening, announcing that “His Eminence, formerly Metropolitan of Kition, Mr. Chrysostomos, has departed to the Lord.” Born in the village of Paleometochos, the cleric was one of Cyprus’s most recognizable, and controversial, religious figures.
Chrysostomos began his life in the Church early, joining the Machairas Monastery as a novice in 1951. He was ordained as a deacon five years later, before earning degrees in law and theology at the University of Athens. In 1973, he was elected Metropolitan of Kition, a position he would hold for more than four decades.
His resignation in 2019, officially attributed to “lack of strength,” marked the end of an era in Larnaca’s ecclesiastical life. But his name returned to the headlines in 2023, when the Larnaca District Court found him guilty of indecently assaulting a woman. He was given a 12-month suspended sentence, and shortly after, the Holy Synod placed him on leave from all clerical duties.
Despite the controversy, the Metropolis’s statement remembered him as a “God-fearing servant” and native son of the Tamasos region.
News of his death has drawn mixed reactions. Some faithful remember his long service to the Church and his spiritual guidance, while others point to the scandal that overshadowed his later years. The Church of Cyprus has not yet issued an official statement beyond confirming his passing, and funeral details are expected in the coming days.
