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1. Stakes are high as Cyprus seeks new archbishop

The Holy Synod in Cyprus is gearing up for high-stakes elections after Archbishop Chrysostomos was laid to rest on Saturday, following a funeral service officiated by Ukraine-backer Bartholomew whose historic trip from Istanbul foreshadows a colossal dilemma of epic consequences for the island and the orthodox world at large...

2. East-West orthodox split deepens in Cyprus

An interview with the Archbishop of Cyprus, who used unfavorable words for detractor bishops as well as the Patriarch of Moscow, is causing all sorts of reactions on the island where campaign drama is unfolding both in a highly contested presidential election and a looming replacement for head of church...

3. Mother accused of abducting son speaks out

Another child custody nightmare made headline news last week after a Cypriot mother has been ordered by a local court to take her son back to the United States, where his father filed a parental abduction complaint...

4. Holy Synod to support vaccine but maintains Holy Communion stance

The Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus convened for an emergency meeting on Tuesday during which it was briefed by members of the government’s coronavirus expert task force on the coronavirus pandemic, with the Holy Synod concluding that it will support the vaccination of the public but refused to accept that the virus can be transmitted through the holy communion ritual....

5. Bishop apologises over reporter incident

Bishop Nikiforos of Kykkos, who told a reporter to “shut up” on Wednesday as cameras were rolling, has issued an apology, saying he regretted his behaviour, with the incident revealing tensions remain high over the Ukrainian issue...

6. Holy Synod says yoga no good

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece rebuffed a call for dialogue between Orthodox churches regarding Holy Communion in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, while also denouncing yoga and warning cleric to stay away from the Lions...

7. Communion ritual unchanged in Orthodox Church despite virus

One by one, the children and adults line up for the centuries-old ritual of Holy Communion, trying to keep a proper social distance. The priest dips a spoon into the chalice of bread and wine, which the faithful believe is the body and blood of Christ, and puts it into the mouth of the first person in line....

8. Lockdown weighs heavily on Orthodox Christians during Easter

9. Believers use side door to attend church

A video posted on YouTube Thursday morning showed Easter worshippers using a service door at a church in Latchia, despite access prohibited due to a lockdown during the pandemic...

10. Police clamp down on violations of mass gatherings ban

Cyprus police have ramped up efforts to crack down on any violations of the ban on indoor public and private gatherings of over 75 people, enforced through a decree issued by the Health Minister in a bid to contain the coronavirus outbreak....

11. No coronavirus risk from holy communion, says Holy Synod

Amid fears of a broader coronavirus contagion across the country, the Holy Synod, the ruling body of the Greek Orthodox Church, on Monday issued a statement saying that the disease does not transmit through the distribution of holy communion by the chalice....

12. Russian church in the north under criticism

A Russian Orthodox Church in the north has come under criticism with the Archbishop accusing the local priest of recusancy and embassy officials reiterating Moscow’s respect to the autocephalous Church of Cyprus...