St Paul's Anglican Cathedral Nicosia

A team of 13 young people from YWAM - Youth with a Mission - are in Cyprus for 3 weeks doing practical volunteer work. They come from 10 different countries - Germany, England, Switzerland, Holland, France/Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, USA and South Africa. Photos show them helping to clear the grounds around our Cathedral. Many thanks.

A team of 13 young people from YWAM - Youth with a Mission - are in Cyprus for 3 weeks doing practical volunteer work. They come from 10 different countries - Germany, England, Switzerland, Holland, France/Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, USA and South Africa.

Welcome, Bishop Sean and Jenny

The Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf is delighted to welcome its new Bishop, the Right Reverend Sean Semple, whose Service of Consecration and Enthronement was held at St Christopher’s Cathedral in Manama, Bahrain on Friday 24 May 2024, and his wife, Jenny. (The service was live-streamed and is available to watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ewhBUr_dcI)

Bishop Sean is the first bishop of the Diocese to be born in Africa, and the first Anglican bishop to be consecrated in Bahrain or indeed the wider Gulf region. Paying tribute to His Majesty King Hamad’s vision of peaceful co-existence, Bishop Sean expressed his gratitude for “the gracious and respectful welcome offered by the Kingdom of Bahrain for all who had travelled from around the world to attend the service”.

The presiding bishop at the Service of Ordination and Consecration was Archbishop Hosam Naoum, Primate of the Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. The two principal co-consecrating Bishops were the Right Reverend Dr Robert Innes, Bishop in Europe, Chair of the Church of England’s Faith and Order Commission and Vice-Chair of the Church of England’s Council for Christian Unity; and the Right Reverend Richard Jackson, Bishop of Hereford in England and Clerk of the Closet—head of the College of Chaplains of the Ecclesiastical Household of King Charles III. Also in attendance were the Right Reverend Anthony Poggo, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion; and the Right Reverend Anthony Ball, Bishop of North Africa in the Anglican Province of Alexandria, Chairman of the Jerusalem and Middle East Church Association (JMECA), and Canon of Westminster Abbey. The Right Reverend Samy Fawzy Shehata, Primate of the Province of Alexandria was sadly unable to take part, called upon to return to Egypt at short notice.

“The Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf has been deeply honoured and encouraged by the bishops’ participation in the service,” said Bishop Sean. “Their presence indicates something of the significance in which our Diocese is held in the wider Anglican Communion, and further enhances these relationships.” He was also particularly grateful for the family and friends who came to support him.

The Service was a wonderful mosaic of influences, drawing on the rich cultural heritage of congregations across the Diocese, including parts in Arabic, Hindi and Tamil—and of Bishop Sean himself, with hymns paying tribute to his birthplace of South Africa and his ministry in the Diocese of Herefordshire. It was also a testament to the dedicated work of the Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Reverend Dr Richard Fermer, its staff and its volunteers in planning and executing this historic and beautiful occasion.

During the joyful, and often moving service, the symbols of the office of bishop were presented—a Bible, an episcopal ring, a stole, a chasuble, a pectoral cross, a mitre and the bishop’s crosier, or pastoral staff. And then, crosier in hand Bishop Sean departed, ritually turning back to seek re-admittance by knocking three times on the closed West Doors of the Cathedral.

The doors opened, for Dean Richard to join Bahraini dignitaries in welcoming Sean to his cathedral, leading him to the cathedra of the bishop to be enthroned as the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf.

Delivering a pledge of commitment to the vision of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for the peaceful co-existence of peoples in mutual partnership with leaders of different faiths, Arab music played on the oud and qanun, carrying with it a soaring sense of spiritual unity as Bishop Sean stepped into his new role as shepherd of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf.

Reflecting on the liturgy of Consecration and Enthronement, Bishop Sean describes the hymns as being “quite simply my favourite, expressing the theology that continues to sustain my spiritual journey”. The processional hymn Yarabba ssalami (God of Peace) recalls, “in the language of much of the Diocese, the attribute of God that we, as people of faith, strive for in our engagement with others,” says Bishop Sean, while the Gradual hymn, sung to the tune Hereford, honoured the presence of the Bishop of Hereford, where Sean served for nine years. “The Veni Creator,” he says, “is the traditional hymn sung at ordinations. But to have it chanted by Archbishop Hosam was an extraordinary privilege.”

“The final hymn We are marching is a joyous celebration of my South African ethnicity,” he says—albeit usually sung in isiZulu, which, he says, “I thought most of us would struggle with! But it brought something of the worship of my country of origin to the Service, reminding us to take our faith out to the world in a positive and life-giving way.”

Bishop Sean paid tribute to the exceptional musicians taking part in the ceremony—organist Michelle Miles, soprano Hannah Miles, Ziyad Sabt (oud) and Mahmoud Al Hashimi (qanun).

The first reading, from 1 Samuel, has accompanied Bishop Sean throughout the last year’s discernment process. Both the second reading and gospel reading are drawn from the Proper for Bishops and, he says, “express something of the challenges and commission of episcopal ministry. Peter’s restoration and commissioning demonstrate God’s unconditional forgiveness and love; his willingness to offer unworthy disciples new beginnings, and to entrust them with his ongoing work and reputation in the world in every generation.”

One of the most notable moments in the Service was Bishop Sean’s invitation to the readers and clergy of the Diocese to help him in bearing the responsibility for the care of souls: “In this fundamental and essential partnership in the gospel we must support and edify one another in love.”

“I was not expecting to receive this call,” he says. “It is the greatest privilege of my life to now begin my ministry with the people of Cyprus and the Gulf; to hold them in my prayers and heart, and to do all that I can to support our Christian witness and service in the region.”

Bishop Sean will be installed at St Paul’s Cathedral in Nicosia on 22 June 2024. Please pray for Sean, Jenny and their family.

Wedding which took place at St Paul’s in the 1950s’

I rededicated today the icon of St Barnabas which was painted as a gift to St Barnabas, Southampton by a member of the congregation of St Paul's Anglican Cathedral in Nicosia. It was hung on the wall of the St Barnabas side chapel. Pentecost Day was chosen by the dean as this was the nearest Sunday to the first anniversary of the death of the man who created the chapel.

Thank you again to the former wardens of St Barnabas parish church, and to the Diocese of Wi******er for agreeing to the return of inventoried property.

I attach pictures of the dedication in Southampton and in Nicosia. The picture of the priest in green and anointing the icon is Fr Barry Fry, then vicar of St Barnabas, Southampton

I copy to the Dean of St Paul's, Nicosia and to the Cathedral Office so pictures may appear on the Cathedral page.

Thanks to all,

Brian

--
The Reverend Canon Brian Elliott

Today we celebrated the life of our beloved Martyn Henry who we sadly lost last year on 23/05/2023

Request for Prayer. From our Diocesan Office

Dear All

The Diocesan family is deeply concerned to hear that Julia Lewis, whose health has been deteriorating rapidly in recent weeks, is now in hospital in Limassol, Cyprus. We send our love and assurance of our prayers to Bishop Michael and their family and ask for God’s healing hands upon Julia, bringing comfort and care during this challenging time.

With my prayers for you all,

Georgia

CYPRUS ARCHDEACON ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

On Sunday 7 April it was announced at St Helena Larnaca that the Venerable Christopher and the Reverend Anne Futcher will be retiring at the end of September.

Christopher and Anne arrived in St Helena’s in 2019 as Parish Priest and Associate Priest. Christopher is Archdeacon in Cyprus and Diocesan Director of Ministry, as well as Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser. Anne is Diocesan Social Concern Officer.

They came to this Diocese from the Diocese of Exeter and will be returning to live in south-west England.

First Mass of Easter - The Vigil

Preparing for First mass of Easter

The clock change in Cyprus will be on March 31st, 2024 at 03:00 to daylight saving time. The clocks are then set one hour forward.

Lent walk - Fikardou

Dean Jeremy attending tha annual Greece independence day 25th March 2024

Stations of the Cross

Preparing for the Stations of the Cross to mark beginning of Holy Week

Palm Sunday

St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Nicosia

2 Grigoriou Afxentiou street, 1096 Nicosia

Sunday 24 March 10.00am Palm Sunday Procession with Palms

Monday 25 March 7.00pm Stations of the Cross

Tuesday 26 March Final Lent Walk 10.30am to meet at the Cathedral. (Picnic lunch)

Wednesday 27 March 10.30am Holy Communion

28 March Maundy Thursday
7.00pm ​Sung Eucharist followed by Watch

29 March Good Friday
1.30pm​The Liturgy of Good Friday (Last Hour)

30 March Holy Saturday
8.00pm ​The Vigil and First Mass of Easter

31 March Easter Sunday
10.00am Holy Eucharist

Happy 50th wedding anniversary to Mike and Pat Baulch

Reminder: clocks go forward one hour at 3am on 31st March 2024.

Dean Jeremy says goodbye to UN Padre Paul