Filenews 6 October 2025
The Holy Metropolis of Tamassos and Orini announced last night that the former Metropolitan of Kition Chrysostomos passed away, at the age of 87.
The former Metropolitan of Kiti had been removed from the Metropolis after being sentenced to 12 months in prison with a suspended sentence as he had been found guilty - after a long hearing - in a case of indecent assault on a 16-year-old student in 1981.
He was then asked to move away from the Metropolis of Kition and moved to a house in Larnaca. In recent months he has been hospitalized in a clinic in Larnaca and last Saturday he was transferred to Larnaca Hospital, after their health condition deteriorated. He died on Sunday from a respiratory infection.
His funeral will be held on Thursday at 2 pm from the Holy Church of Agios Georgios.
The conviction for the indecent attack
The former Metropolitan of Kiti had been found guilty of indecent assault by the Larnaca District Court and had been sentenced to 12 months in prison with a suspended sentence. The 58-year-old complainant at the time had reported the deceased for an incident that happened in 1981, when she was 16 years old.
As she had said, she visited the former Metropolitan of Kition in his office to get an allowance as an orphan because her father had died. He, however, indecently attacked her on a sofa, kissed her and shut her mouth when she reacted.
The court process lasted for months, with the decision being issued on June 1, 2023. A few days later, the Holy Synod suspended him, expelled him from the Metropolis, and deprived him of the right to officiate and generally participate in ritual acts.
Against the former Kition, it is recalled that two criminal cases had been registered, for rape and sexual harassment.
The former Metropolitan of Kition Chrysostomos had reacted to both the decision of the Court and the Holy Synod. In fact, he had also appealed the court decision.
The announcement:
"The Holy Metropolis of Tamassos and Orini announces that His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Kition, who comes from the God-saved Province of Tamasos, from the pious town of Palaiometochos, has just passed away to the Lord.
In humility we pray that the Lord of Glory will forgive his soul and place it in the land of the living. May God give him rest.
From the Holy Metropolis of Tamassos and Orini."
A few words about former Metropolitan Chrysostomos
The former Metropolitan of Kition Chrysostomos (Machairiotis) was born in Paleometochos of the Nicosia District on June 4, 1938.
In 1951 he was accepted as a novice monk in the Holy Monastery of Panagia of Machairas.
He graduated from the Cyprus Commercial School and the Pancyprian Gymnasium. In 1955 he was ordained a deacon.
In 1962 he entered the Law School of the University of Athens, from which he graduated in 1966.
He continued his studies at the Theological Faculty of the same university, graduating in 1970.
On June 7, 1970, he was ordained a priest and then ordained archimandrite and Protekdic of the Machairas Monastery.
On October 24, 1973, he was unanimously elected Metropolitan of Kition and two days later he was ordained bishop.
In June 1977 he led the delegation of the Church of Cyprus to the World Conference "Religious Forms for Lasting Peace, Disarmament and Just Relations between Nations" in Moscow.
On September 15, 2001, at the Holy Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem, he represented the Cypriot Orthodox Church at the enthronement of the former Patriarch of Jerusalem Irenaeus I.
On June 11, 2012, at the Church of St. Lazarus in Larnaca, on the last day of the official visit of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Church of Cyprus, he handed over to Patriarch Kirill a reliquary with part of the relics of St. Lazarus.
On June 17, 2012, during a visit to Russia, he signed a cooperation agreement between the Russian and Cypriot Orthodox Churches for the development of joint pilgrimages.
In October 2013, the 40th anniversary of his hierarchical elevation was celebrated, where he received the congratulations of the then President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades.
In honour of the anniversary, the publication "Travelling in the Holy Metropolis of Kition, 1973—2013" was published.
In 2016 he was a member of the delegation of the Church of Cyprus to the Pan-Orthodox Council of Crete.
On June 19, 2019, Metropolitan Chrysostomos submitted his resignation from the Metropolis of Kition to the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus, citing reasons of old age.
