Filenews 7 November 2022 - by Dora Christodoulou
In the community of Tala in the Pafos district, the sad announcement of the death of the Archbishop of Cyprus cast a heavy shadow at the first light of day, on a very winter day for Paphos, with heavy rains and pitch-black skies.
The birthplace of the late Archbishop held a special place in the heart and everyday life of the late Primate of the Church of Cyprus, not just because he came from there. As the president of the community of Tala, Areti Pieridou, points out, the Archbishop was always present at the important events of his birthplace, until the end of his life. The last time I met him, recently, the president of the community stressed, he asked her "to convey his greetings to all the villagers".
Indicatively, they mention the new large church of the community, a vision of his own that he personally made sure to become a reality, his constant presences in the Monastery of Agios Neophytos from which he began his monastic life, but also charitable projects in which he had a financial contribution and personal involvement for their successful completion, such as the revival of the square and the core of the community or the operation of the community library. It is also well known to the residents, although he acted with all discretion, that he financially supported students and students of Tala who had financial problems.
Residents of Tala also remember today the frequent personal contacts maintained by the deceased, even when the archdiocesan group greatly increased its obligations, referring to a man of their own who was happy and showed it when he "stole" days from his duties in the Archdiocese to spend a few moments of tranquility in the house he kept in Tala, from the time when he was Metropolitan of Pafos.
The Tala Community Council, the community leader said, will hold an extraordinary meeting to make decisions to honour the deceased posthumously by the community, while attending the funeral as a whole.
