Without dissent there is no democracy - Part III

Republished interview of Tamassos and Oreini Metropolitan Isaiah, which was given to Antigone Solomonidou Drousiotou and published in the newspaper "Phileleftheros" on January 23, 2011, and statements such as the title we found them interesting enough so that you present.Metropolitan Isaiah: The Church and the mission making me rest.
What principles grew? I feel privileged because my parents watched and I have great gratitude. Six families, the father and mother wanted to be close to the Church, we grew up with love, there was debate and hold their own example.Your father was... Senior policeman. I grew up with strict principles, love of the fatherland, the Church and his fellow man. My parents are humanists and carried it to me.You were a free spirit. In fact I did my own revolutions, I liked the fun, I am very social and I spent a very happy childhood and adolescence, with the joys of the world. My family had financial freedom, my mother had a florist, my father a good salary, we do not ever denied anything. The misery of pain I knew it in the monastery of Kykkos.

What made you turn to monasticism? Even I did not understand exactly, but you can find me in early age. I do not know why but since I was little I wanted to become a priest.Growing up, I wanted to study economics, to develop the family business of Floristry, the army I had to think more, not spotted resting on what was going to do. I decided to look for the priesthood. I started talking to clergy, read books, I entered the seminary, I liked very much and there I discovered monasticism. I found myself. The church life and mission with the rest.Study and in the Moscow Zakorsk. Yes, at first I would go to study in the theological school of Boston, but had just become the perestroika and the Abbot told me that it would be best to study the theological school in Russia to open bridges with the orthodoxy there. At first I wanted, but he convinced me for the good of the Church and Monastery. I grew up in a family and nationalist thought forbidden area for me to Russia.I met new people, a great culture, rich tradition and I realized that sometimes appearances are deceptive. I understood that you should not judge people according to their party position, but how people are. With too much benefited my study in Russia, made me better cleric and man.Keep your contacts, bring priests from Russia and former Eastern European countries? Yes, I brought too many, but all these were done with the coordination of the Bishop of Kykkos. If I could not find that the Abbot, with an open mind, I could not express myself.He opened his wings, gave me opportunities to admonish, to paidagogise, trained me in mission and I owe too much. Even today as Bishop reminds me that I left the monastery and leave me many times find it difficult because I suffer and wants to know.He wants to become autonomous and fully largely been accomplished.How to deal with human behaviors like anger? By nature I do not get angry easily, but this item is sometimes exploited. When runs are liable to be severe because they should realize that they depend on you what should be done.Who is the greatest temptation for you; In national issues the Turkey and in spiritual the selfishness. I believe that we must fight even more my selfishness and some issues dub improvements. I try.It is a selfish young 40 year old like you have ambitions to Archbishop? It would be terribly arrogant, ungrateful and indecent.Human though. Yes, but for me it was blasphemy to think so, because very early I have given so much. My biggest ambition is to make the Cathedral Tamassos useful in the world, creating an infrastructure of philanthropy and intellectual proper management. I want to bring as many people to Christ and if the man opposite me is not orthodox, to help him discover the humanity, to become better. That is my ambition. There are competent, who can do better than me in the position of Archbishop. I have traumatic experiences from the archiepiscopal election and I do not want ever again to engage in such stories.

Without dissent there is no democracy - Part II

Republished interview of Oreini and Tamassos Metropolitan Isaiah, which was given to Antigone Solomonidou Drousiotou and published in the newspaper "Phileleftheros" on January 23, 2011, and statements such as we found the title interesting enough so that we present to you.


Metropolitan Isaiah: We have national morale, not nationalistic.


Do you agree with the national line of the Archbishop? I agree that the Cyprus problem is a matter of invasion and occupation. This should never forget and as such we must all realize it. Do not forget that the Archbishop is not a politician and may be saying some things that the politicians for various reasons. We have historical efthynina maintain the identity of the Christian Greek Cyprus, with respect for minorities.Of course, many times with the statements of Archbishop brings embarrassed President Christofias. Surely we must be very careful in what we declare as priests. I think the Archbishop and President Christofias need to receive messages from each other and mutually cooperate. We must unite our national issues, otherwise we are lost. I worry too much because I see some people in their effort to defend our national issues, to engage in atrocities and not speaking for the archbishop. On the other hand we must have limits and red lines.You think we are experiencing? Within us is a war of Greek origin and us of our Christian status. We are a multicultural Greek Cyprus and brutally offends us when someone says that Cyprus is Greek. It bothers me when trying to separate Cyprus from the Greek history.

Many consider this post nationalist. There aren't nationalist but national. We have national morale, not nationalistic. The national spirit is to realize your national identity not want to impose it on others, the T/Cypriots, for example. As I have no problem to the muezzin is its own sequence of the minaret, and they should accept my service. The Church must show care and love to all people, regardless of religion.Are you in favor of rapprochement? Yes, the goal of my rapprochement is a human level: I find the T/Cypriots to realize all that was invaded and occupied, that partition is the destruction of Cyprus. That division of the island is our end and we must all work together to find a solution where to live peacefully, but recognizing some things.Go to occupied frequently? Not as often as before because I have too many responsibilities as Metropolitan. Now I took the KENTHEA trying to do something in common with the T/Cypriots, on the subject of drug prevention. I believe a lot in human cooperation.
How they face a priest? At first skeptical, because the history of our Church with the T/Cypriot is not the best. They should also realize that the Church of Cyprus are the individuals who compose it and Summit have inspired priests who can do a lot to rapprochement. As I accept the T/Cypriots as it is to put them in Cypriot society, I realize themselves that in Cyprus there is a history, a tradition, a faith which should at least respect. Too many people accept, our problem is with the settlers and the commands that come from Turkey. There are other organized interests that drive the world. If we let ourselves believe that we will find. I speak with T/Cypriots and understand each other because I'm at an age where I have experienced traumatic past.

I'm not compatible with the partition

Born in 1971 ... my memories are "not forget" and rallies. I was among the first students who went to protest when the pseudo-state was declared. I am from a refugee family, my mother from Karavas and my father from St. Elias Famagusta and is incompatible with the division, with that one piece of my homeland is occupied.

You went to the homes of your parents? Yes, and wept bitterly. Bother too much with the casinos, prostitution in the territories, organized crime such as free areas.When I went to the army wanted to get a gun and kill as many Turks could. Now that I see going in the Occupied is children, families and those who say it is like to kill? Is there another way to find them other than war? Of course I do not know whether to call my home and have to defend what will work, the status of my clerical or Greek ... So I think that children should be serving in the National Guard, the avoid army bother me. To be able to negotiate, the other opposite should know that in a military conflict would cost. I think the T/Cypriots can be many steps in the human domain and wish to influence the decision centers in Turkey to allow them to proceed to a correct solution.You see it done; I fear that it does not. But I am optimistic of the clergy who believes in miracles. The grace of God will help people and find them. Frustrate us daily developments, but not put them down. We must never forget the "never forget".It is only on the stamp. Fret when faced with the "never forget" that way. This is a great deal. I think national issues ranging from the spiritual. The Church must play its role of race, must vothisei the domestication of man, calmed the passions of the development of morals and values ​​in the psyche. A man who knows how to say no to the temptations and opportunities yes, you will eventually succeed and national issues. In my cathedral I give much importance to intellectual culture, I found good partners and organize a program of spiritual, social, sporting, cultural and work to help people to take correct decisions. It must be great spiritual revolution in Cyprus.Our politicians? Is the image of our society, so our society consolidation means consolidation and policy. With many disturbing things in politics.

Without dissent there is no democracy - Part I

Republished interview of Orini and Tamassos Metropolitan Isaiah, which was given to Antigone Solomonidou Drousiotou and published in the newspaper "Phileleftheros" on January 23, 2011, and statements such as we found the title interesting enough so that we present to you.

Metropolitan Isaiah: My commitments is the Gospel and my conscience.

Turbulent period of the archiepiscopal elections for Orini and Tamassos Metropolitan Isaiah. A period in which matured and landed on the needs of modern life. He says that unless he found the Kykkos Bishop Nikiforos, with an open mind, could not be expressed. He admits he wants to become autonomous and fully that largely has succeeded.

What are the needs of today? Spiritual and physical as it was always just the size and complexity of the problems have now changed. That is why the Church must find ways through a streamlined pastoral policy to maneuver in the way of handling problems and evolve in the management of problems.Now with the economic crisis, the problems have multiplied. How does the Church? In many ways. The Church must perceive it as an institution that has contact with the last citizen.The Cathedral Tamasos not a faceless institution, priests are 75 communities with 500 officers and hundreds of partners. Expanding the philanthropic work, until the last house.The Church of Cyprus made a decision at its last meeting and organized a synodal committee welfare and charity, which is in charge. We will create a non-governmental organization, which apart from the work of local Metropolis, will assume the general charitable work of the Church, so that everything be done in a more systematic way.

We disciples on the mistakes for progress of the Church of Cyprus

The Church will have the difficult times to give her money in the world than to invest in companies and airlines want to buy. The Church of Cyprus as a session spends a lot to charity and approve the budgets for each cathedral. It gives too much money at this point began shakes the foundations, because it is an economic crisis and the demands have multiplied. The 2/3 of their day, the Archbishop and Bishops sign checks and find money for the world.

Do you help the Turkish Cypriots with health problems? Yes, I helped coordinate with the Metropolitan of Kykkos. Now, as Bishop Tamassos try, but I have not afford. But he never asked anything from the Monastery of Kykkos and I deny it. To the extent that course can be difficult because today things.

You are dependent on the Kykkos monastery? I am fully indendent, but not economically.

What financial help? The salary of my employees pay part of the Archdiocese and our operating revenue Kykkos Monastery, where we build the new cathedral at the Bishopric, but not required to follow their own policy on any subject.

Disagree with them on some issues? Without dissent there is no democracy. Nobody can trample our thinking, especially when you are Bishop. I would not be consistent to the people who voted for Bishop, if I did not have free will to speak and move without any commitments. These commitments are in my Bible and my conscience.You disagree with Kykkos's Nikiforos? That "helps those who need more." He has more faith in me God. Seeing how it handles the issues of charity, logically should not cope.Always telling me to have faith, the Virgin will send. I admit that expresses the spiritual politics of Metropolitan Kykkos. I lived with him 18 years. I am a spiritual child, but many times on different terms have everyday and everyone pulls his way. I insist on what is to take responsibility.Played a leading part in the struggles. Yes, because it expressed too. The first game we made was humanitarian, with the creation of the Center for Emergency Aid Kykkos monastery. We organized a missionary department of which I had the coordination and visited dozens of countries. This is something that filled me and I miss this time.You lead also in archiepiscopal elections. Of course there could be different because I thought that was the best choice.Why lost the elections? Not lost the elections because we have capable Archbishop, who can coordinate the summit. Now why was not elected by my choice is a series of events, very traumatic for me. It was a very good experience with prosgeiose matured and the realities of modern life.Of course, the way has now been elected the Archbishop not to follow. It was a turbulent period when pathame pathame and all of us. I think everybody came out winners in that we saw that we must not let its human weaknesses and ambitions exceed our intellectual capacity. This experience has taught us many benefits and now the Synod.Disciples on the mistakes we progressed to the Church of Cyprus and our joint decision was that each Bishop to try to heal these wounds.What you did? I went and forgiven by those brothers had unfinished business.What is your relationship with the Limassol Athanasios? Too much good work is spiritual and one of my older monasteries, St. Irakleidios.You talked about the time of archbishop elections? Yes, we recognized that situations where none have gone had made everyone's prayer and self-criticism and move forward. My first visit outside Cyprus after the elections were in Vatopedi, I went to the Abbot and allilosynchorithikame problem because I had inside me.Why? Because it seemed to the world that Vatopedi Kykkos monastery and are of different situations and attitudes. We are children of the same God and should not be our personal spiritual characteristics to be a problem in our common ministry, because that scandalized the world and turns away from the Church. Whether deliberately or unwittingly, created through the archiepiscopal elections a conflict which should be recognized. So this should be cured, to become critical and we can all move forward trying not to repeat the same mistakes.