With the blessing of His Beatitude the Archbishop of Cyprus Mr. Invited to Chrysostom, His Eminence the Metropolitan of Koronia Mr. Panteleimon had the special opportunity, on the day of the remembrance of St. Apostle Barnabas, which is also the throne feast of the Church of Cyprus, to go to the I. Monastery of St. Barnabas in the occupied, where the tomb of the Saint. There he officiated at Orthros and preceded the Divine Liturgy.
The Most Venerable Metropolitan of Constantia Mr. Vassilios and the Most Venerable Professor of the I. Monastery and Protosyggellos of the I. Archdiocese of Cyprus Achim. Ioannis Ioannou. Many believers came from free Cyprus to participate in the festival.
Apostle Barnabas, as the Metropolitan of Koronia said in his sermon, refers for the first time to the Acts of the Apostles. He was a respected figure in the Church of Jerusalem. So when they learned that some people in Antioch were preaching Christ, they sent Barnabas to find out if it was a genuine Christian sermon. When Barnabas realized there the correctness of the Christian teaching, he "rejoiced" emphasizes the book of Acts and also mentions that Barnabas "was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith". Then he met the Apostle Paul in Tarsus and they stayed for a year in Antioch, successfully preaching the Gospel. Together they came to Cyprus, to the then capital Salamis and from there they proceeded to Paphos preaching Christ.
Later Barnabas, who was of Cypriot descent, returned to Cyprus and organized the Church of Cyprus. He became the first Bishop of Salamis. He immediately ordained Bishops in the major centers of the island. In Kitio (Larnaca) Ag. Lazarus, on the fourth day, in Tamasos, Ag. Heraklion, in Amathus the Memorandum and several other bishops throughout the island and so he organized the Church. That is why he is considered the founder of the Church of Cyprus.
Apostle Barnabas is considered the first of the seventy apostles and had all the characteristics of apostolate:
- The call from Christ and the Church. Barnabas is called by the Church, as we have seen, and undertakes what is assigned to him. But all of us baptized believers are "called saints" called to holiness, and we must walk "worthy of the call or called" (Ephesians 1: XNUMX).
- Mission. Barnabas is sent to Antioch. Shipping after the call. After all, Apostle means the apostle, to preach the Gospel. Of course, not all believers are Apostles, but the life of all of us must be the letter of Christ, "known and sanctified by all men" (2 Corinthians XNUMX: XNUMX).
- Persecution. The path of the true Apostle is not strewn with flowers, but with tears, toil and persecution. "Until the perfect hour and we are hungry and thirsty and we are naked and we are collapsing and we are restless" will write the Apostle Paul (11 Corinthians XNUMX:XNUMX). And Barnabas finally finds death by stoning.
His Tomb and Monastery are located here in the occupied areas. The discovery of this Tomb in the 5th century was the occasion for the Church of Cyprus to become Autocephalous. Today, his Remembrance Day, let us beg him extensively to demand that we soon celebrate his Remembrance in a reunited and free Cyprus as a whole.
