Archbishop Chrysostomos I
Encyclopedia
Archbishop Chrysostomos I (27 September 1927 – 22 December 2007) was the Archbishop of Cyprus
from 1977 to 2006. He was born in the village of Statos in Paphos
, Cyprus. By the scholarship of Kykkos Monastery
, where he served as a monk, he finished the Pancyprian Gymnasium
(High School) in 1950 and he studied theology
and literature
in the University of Athens. He then returned to Kykkos Monastery and was ordained deacon in February 1951. In October 1961 he was ordained priest and returned to the Pancyprian Gymnasium where he taught theology for 5 years.
In 1968 he was elected bishop of Constantia
before becoming Bishop of Paphos
in July 1973. On 12 November 1977 he was elected Archbishop of Cyprus in succession to the late President and Archbishop of Cyprus, Makarios III
who had died the same year.
In April 2000 he suffered a severe head injury
when he fell from the staircase of the Archiepiscopal Palace and never recovered. In 2004 it became known that he suffered from Alzheimer's disease
and he fell into a coma the following year.
He remained Head of the Church of Cyprus due to lack of legislation in church's laws for cases of incapacity. In early 2006 the Cypriot bishops asked the Patriarch of Constantinople
to convoke a Panorthodox Synod to decide what was to be done since his condition was irreversible and he was still in a coma.
A Pan-Orthodox Synod was convoked by Patriarch
Bartholomew I of Constantinople
in Chambésy (Switzerland
) in May 2006 and it was decided that Chrysostomos was to be removed from office due to serious health problems, while retaining his honorific titles. Bishop of Paphos
Chrysostomos was elected as locum tenens and Archiepiscopal elections were proclaimed for 24 September 2006. Archbishop Chrysostomos II became the new Archbishop of Cyprus.
Chrysostomos I died on December 22, 2007.
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
from 1977 to 2006. He was born in the village of Statos in Paphos
Paphos District
Paphos District is one of the six districts of Cyprus and it is situated in the western part of Cyprus. Its main town and capital is Paphos. The entire district is controlled by the internationally recognized government of Cyprus...
, Cyprus. By the scholarship of Kykkos Monastery
Kykkos Monastery
The Holy, Royal and Stavropegic Monastery of Kykkos , which lies 20 km west of Pedoulas, is one of the wealthiest and best-known monasteries in Cyprus....
, where he served as a monk, he finished the Pancyprian Gymnasium
Pancyprian Gymnasium
The Pancyprian Gymnasium was founded in 1812 by Archbishop Kyprianos at a time when Cyprus was still under Ottoman occupation. It was originally called the Hellenic School and is the oldest high school still in operation on the island...
(High School) in 1950 and he studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
in the University of Athens. He then returned to Kykkos Monastery and was ordained deacon in February 1951. In October 1961 he was ordained priest and returned to the Pancyprian Gymnasium where he taught theology for 5 years.
In 1968 he was elected bishop of Constantia
Salamis, Cyprus
Salamis was an ancient Greek city-state on the east coast of Cyprus, at the mouth of the river Pedieos, 6 km north of modern Famagusta. According to tradition the founder of Salamis was Teucer, son of Telamon, who could not return home after the Trojan war because he had failed to avenge his...
before becoming Bishop of Paphos
Paphos
Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...
in July 1973. On 12 November 1977 he was elected Archbishop of Cyprus in succession to the late President and Archbishop of Cyprus, Makarios III
Makarios III
Makarios III , born Andreas Christodolou Mouskos , was the archbishop and primate of the autocephalous Cypriot Orthodox Church and the first President of the Republic of Cyprus ....
who had died the same year.
In April 2000 he suffered a severe head injury
Head injury
Head injury refers to trauma of the head. This may or may not include injury to the brain. However, the terms traumatic brain injury and head injury are often used interchangeably in medical literature....
when he fell from the staircase of the Archiepiscopal Palace and never recovered. In 2004 it became known that he suffered from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
and he fell into a coma the following year.
He remained Head of the Church of Cyprus due to lack of legislation in church's laws for cases of incapacity. In early 2006 the Cypriot bishops asked the Patriarch of Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
to convoke a Panorthodox Synod to decide what was to be done since his condition was irreversible and he was still in a coma.
A Pan-Orthodox Synod was convoked by Patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
Bartholomew I of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
in Chambésy (Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
) in May 2006 and it was decided that Chrysostomos was to be removed from office due to serious health problems, while retaining his honorific titles. Bishop of Paphos
Paphos
Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...
Chrysostomos was elected as locum tenens and Archiepiscopal elections were proclaimed for 24 September 2006. Archbishop Chrysostomos II became the new Archbishop of Cyprus.
Chrysostomos I died on December 22, 2007.