Translated from the Greek here.
Athanasios of Limassol: “I had received assurance that Epiphany would not be commemorated.”
by Aimilios Polygenes
Today His Eminence Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol gives full confirmation of his current position to the ecclesiastical news agency Romfea.gr.
His Eminence has taken a position regarding the commemoration of Epiphany of Kiev by the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, Theodoros, in Limassol.
“From the first moment of the Patriarch of Alexandria’s arrival on Cyprus, a Bishop of the Holy Archdiocese, in his communication with him, assured him that in a conversation that he had with His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria he received the promise and assurance that the Patriarch of Alexandria would not commemorate Epiphany at the Divine Liturgy, but rather would only commemorate His Beatitude the Archbishop of Cyprus,” states Metropolitan Athanasius, completely confirming what has been published by Romfea.gr.
The position of His Eminence follows:
Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol separates his position from the commemoration of the name of Epiphany as metropolitan of Kiev by His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria at the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy in Limassol.
In his weekly live radio broadcast on the radio station of the Holy Metropolis of Limassol, His Eminence Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol, in response to a listener’s question about the comemmoration by His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria of Epiphany as metropolitan of Kiev, stated, inter alia, the following:
From the first moment of the Patriarch of Alexandria’s arrival on Cyprus, a Bishop of the Holy Archdiocese, in his communication with him, assured him that in a conversation that he had with His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria he received the promise and assurance that the Patriarch of Alexandria would not commemorate Epiphany at the Divine Liturgy, but rather would only commemorate His Beatitude the Archbishop of Cyprus and the local Metropolitan, so as not to create any problem on account of the fact that the Church of Cyprus has not yet formally taken a position on the issue.
Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol was likewise reassured by the Patriarch of Alexandria’s entourage that Epiphany would not be commemorated.
However, without the former’s knowing in advance and without his having any information about a change in this position, His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria deemed at the time of the Divine Liturgy that he should commemorate Epiphany as metropolitan of Kiev.
In conclusion, His Eminence stated that the commemoration of Epiphany as metropolitan of Kiev, even if it took place in the Church of Cyprus and in particular in the Holy Metropolis of Limassol, does not express the Metropolitan of Limassol, neither as Metropolitan of Limassol or as the Church of Cyprus.
He himself adheres to what he has stated in writing and published, that he “accepts and recognizes as the canonical Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Onufry and the Holy Synod around him.”
Orthodox Synaxis 