By Charlie Charalambous
THE HOLY Synod yesterday accepted the resignation of disgraced Limassol Bishop Chrysanthos, who will remain a clergyman but will have to serve a two-year suspension.
After a four-hour meeting of the Church’s top decision-making body, a statement was issued read by Archimandrite Vassilios Papafotis.
“The Holy Synod decided to accept the resignation and to impose a two-year suspension on every holy duty,” the statement said.
The announcement added that the decision had been taken in the wake of Chrysanthos’ letter of resignation, submitted on Monday, and the conclusion of a Holy Synod investigative committee, which indicted the bishop on eight breaches of ecclesiastical law.
Chrysanthos did not attend yesterday’s emergency session of the Holy Synod.
Archbishop Chrysostomos will take charge of the vacant bishopric pending the appointment of a successor to Chrysanthos.
Papafotis, the Holy Synod’s secretary, clarified to reporters that Chrysanthos would remain a clergyman, and would therefore be allowed to carry out church services after he had served his suspension.
Chrysanthos’ timely resignation avoided harsher punishment from the Church hierarchy, which had approved eight charges of greed and corruption. Those charges are now being dropped.
However, there was dissent within the ranks of the Holy Synod, with some bishops concerned that Chrysanthos was getting off lightly.
Bishop Pavlos of Kyrenia said the Holy Synod’s decision to accept the resignation had not been unanimous, and said he for one wanted Chrysanthos to face the charges and receive the appropriate penalty.
Under the charges, Chrysanthos faced being defrocked and have his bishop’s pension withdrawn.
Bishop Pavlos described the timing and manner in which Chrysanthos had resigned – just three days before the former Limassol bishop was to answer the charges before the Holy Synod – as an affront to the Church.
“I personally did not accept the letter of resignation by the Metropolitan of Limassol because I consider the content and timing of the letter as an insult to the Holy Synod and the Church in general,” said Bishop Pavlos, who was one of the three bishops who investigated the charges against Chrysanthos.
Bishop Chrysostomos of Paphos had told reporters on leaving the meeting that the decision had been unanimous.
“I categorically state that comments made by the Bishop of Paphos about a unanimous decision do not correspond to reality,” said Bishop Pavlos.
Pavlos said later in a CyBC television interview that Chrysanthos “could have resigned five months ago”, suggesting the Limassol bishop was quite happy to see the Church’s reputation tarnished during that time.
Since the Summer, the Church has seen its standing fall and its reputation blemished by a flood of multi-million fraud allegations revolving around Chrysanthos, and making headlines both at home and abroad.
The indictment drawn up against Chrysanthos included charges that he had acted out of greed and for his own benefit, profiteering through currency speculation, taking advantage of his ecclesiastical position for illicit gain and making unauthorised use of the holy seal to guarantee huge loans.
Chrysanthos is now said to be “collecting his thoughts at a rural retreat”, most probably a monastery in the Limassol area, after his 20-year reign as Bishop of the city came to an end.
Nevertheless, the former bishop is still under criminal investigation by the Cyprus police in connection with alleged multi-million pound scams involving investors from around the world.
Chrysanthos could face further Church punishment if he is found guilty of criminal charges.
