Filenews 31 August 2021
The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, will visit Cyprus on 2-3 December this year. This is a very important visit as the Vatican chooses the Pontiff to come to Cyprus at a very difficult time for humanity, due to the pandemic and the developments in the region.
The Vatican always considers Cyprus a bridge of stability and will want to send out messages of peace. The visit is also of particular importance as it is recalled that his predecessor, Pope Benedictus the 16th, had also visited our country. He had come to Cyprus in June 2010, during the Christofias administration. As informed sources noted, the Vatican chooses to include in the travels of two leaders of the Catholic Church in our country. It is obvious that for a country such as Cyprus, whose citizens are mostly Orthodox Christians, it is important that it receives a second visit from a pope.
The programme of the visit, which is under development but the basics are taken for granted, will include, among other things, a meeting and talks with the President of the Republic, Nicos Anastasiades and a meeting with the Primate of the Church of Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos II.
Pope Francis will meet with representatives of the Catholic community of Cyprus and will celebrate a liturgy, probably in a stadium (probably in the GSP, if the weather conditions allow it).
It is recalled in that regard that his predecessor had celebrated a divine liturgy in the indoor stadium "Tassos Papadopoulos- Eleftheria". According to the Protocol, the Pope will reside in the area where the Embassy of the Holy See in Cyprus is housed, near the Pafos Gate.
Pope Benedict the 16th had made the first official visit to Cyprus 11 years ago as head of the Roman Catholic Church and his steps are being followed by his successor.
