Filenews 24 September 2025
We had a reversal today on the issue of lampratzia. While it seemed that the golden mean had been found to finally settle the issue, the representative of the Archdiocese took a completely negative attitude and sent the bill and the lampratzia to the fire outside.
Specifically, while the issue of lampratzia seems to have ended positively with today's session of the Legal Committee, the Church turned the tables, since its representative strongly opposed the lighting of lamps inside the surrounding area of the church.
As stated by the secretary of the Holy Synod, Georgios Christodoulou, after consultation with the Archbishop, the lampratzias are religious primitivism and barbarism and that is why the church does not accept the lighting of bonfires inside the area of the churches. But he agrees to the lighting of bonfires outside the temples. For this position, the Holy Synod will send a letter to all churches so that it can be done elsewhere outside the premises and was in favour of the abolition of "this barbaric custom". I had contact with an Archbishop, the Holy Synod will convene because the attention of young people is distracted, lives are in danger."
As he mentioned, the custom of lambratzia has escaped the boundaries of ecclesiastical tradition and is not even presented as a valuable folklore data today. The custom, he added, as it evolves today, refers to times of religious demands of primitivism and desecrates and stifles the mystical character of the top event of the Orthodox Church, which is the Resurrection, with the repulsive explosions of firecrackers and fireworks.
This position provoked a strong reaction from the Minister of Justice, Marios Hartsiotis, who cited letters from the Metropolises of Trimynthou and Limassol that are in favour of the custom of lambratzia. As he said, "with the wording of the bill you are not obliged to give permission but also to refrain from lighting a bonfire. Send a circular to your Commissioners to abstain from any procedure. If a church does not apply for permission, then with all due respect, it is an oxymoron for someone who does not take part to express an opinion that the custom should be abolished. I find it strange that metropolises say one thing and you say another. The bill is completely democratic."
The Union of Municipalities agrees with the bill despite the disagreement of the Municipality of Strovolos. The Union of Communities also agrees if there is the agreement of the Police and the Fire Service.
Finally, following this development, the matter will be discussed again in the Commission.
