Το Αὐτοκέφαλο τῆς ᾿Εκκλησίας τῆς Κύπρου

῾Η᾿Εκκλησία τῆς Κύπρου εἶναι μιά ἀπό τίς ἀρχαιότερες αὐτοκέφαλες ᾿Εκκλησίες. ῞Οταν ὁ ᾿Αρχιεπίσκοπος ᾿Αντιοχείας, στό Θέμα τῆς ὁποίας πολιτικά ὑπαγόταν ἡ Κύπρος, ἐπεδίωξε νά καταργήσει τό αὐτοκέφαλό της, οἱ Κύπριοι ᾿Αρχιερεῖς κατήγγειλαν τήν ἐπέμβαση στήν Γ´ Οἰκουμενική Σύνοδο, πού συνῆλθε τό 431 μ.Χ. στήν ῎Εφεσο. ῾Η Οἰκουμενική αὐτή Σύνοδος κατοχύρωσε τό αὐτοκέφαλο τῆς ᾿Εκκλησίας τῆς Κύπρου μέ τόν 8ο κανόνα της.

Τό 478 μ.Χ. ὁ ᾿Αρχιεπίσκοπος Κύπρου ᾿Ανθέμιος κατόπιν ὁράματος βρῆκε τόν τάφο καί τό λείψανο τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου Βαρνάβα, στό στῆθος τοῦ ὁποίου ὑπῆρχε ἀντίγραφο τοῦ κατά Ματθαῖον Εὐαγγελίου. Τό Εὐαγγέλιο τοῦτο πρόσφερε ὁ ᾿Αρχιεπίσκοπος ᾿Ανθέμιος στόν Αὐτοκράτορα τοῦ Βυζαντίου Ζήνωνα, ὁ ὁποῖος καί παραχώρησε τά γνωστά τρία αὐτοκρατορικά προνόμια στόν ἑκάστοτε ᾿Αρχιεπίσκοπο Κύπρου· Νά ὑπογράφει μέ κιννάβαρι (κόκκινο μελάνι), νά φέρει κατά τίς ἱεροτελεστίες πορφυροῦν μανδύα καί νά κρατεῖ ἀντί τῆς ἐπισκοπικῆς πατερίτσας αὐτοκρατορικό σκῆπτρο.

Δρ. Αντρέα Μιτσίδη

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The autocephaly of the Church of Cyprus

(English translation)

The Church of Cyprus is one of the oldest autocephalous Churches. When the Archbishop of Antioch, under whose political jurisdiction was Cyprus, sought to abolish its autocephaly, the Cypriot Bishops denounced the interference at the Third Ecumenical Council, which was held in 431 A.D. in Ephesus. This Ecumenical Synod established the Autocephality of the Church of Cyprus through its 8th canon.

In 478 A.D. Anthemios, Archbishop of Cyprus, after having a vision, he found the tomb and the relic of Apostle Barnabas. At his chest was a copy of the Holy Gospel of Matthew. Archbishop Anthemios offered this Gospel to the Emperor of Byzantium, Zenon, who granted the three known emperial privileges to every Archbishop of Cyprus: to sign using cinnabar (red ink), to wear purple mantle during holy services and to hold the imperial sceptre instead of the bishop’s staff.  

Dr. Andreas Mitsides

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Autocefalia Bisericii Ciprului

(traducere în limba română)

Biserca Ciprului este una dintre cele mai vechi Biserici autocefale. Atunci când Arhiepiscopul Antiohiei, sub jurisdicţia politică căreia aparţinea Cipru, a încercat să anuleze autocefalia Bisericii Ciprului, Ierarhii ciprioţi au denunţat această mişcare la al III-lea Sinod Ecumenic, care s-a întrunit în 431 d.H., la Efes. Acest Sinod Ecumenic a stabilit autocefalia Bisericii Ciprului prin al 8-lea canon al său.

În 478 d.H. Arhiepiscopul Ciprului Anthemie, în urma unei viziuni, a aflat mormântul şi moaştele Sf. Apostol Varnava, pe pieptul căruia se afla o copie a Evangheliei după Matei. Această Evanghelie Arhiepiscopul Anthemie a oferit-o Împăratului Bizantin Zenon, care în schimb a oferit cele trei privilegii imperiale fiecărui Arhiepiscop al Ciprului: să semneze cu cerneală roşie, să poarte mantie de culoare purpurie în timpul slujbelor şi să ţină sceptrul imperial în locul cârjei episcopale.

Dr. Andreas Mitsidis