Εἰκόνα ἐξωφύλλου:

Οἱ ἐν Κύπρῳ διαλάμψαντες ἅγιοι,

ἔτος 1988. Φορητὴ εἰκόνα τοῦ
ἁγιογραφικοῦ ἐργαστηρίου
τῆς Ἱερᾶς Μονῆς Σταυροβουνίου.

Cover photo:
Saints who shone forth in Cyprus,
1988. Portable icon by the hagiography
workshop of the Holy Monastery
of Stavrovounion.

Στὴν προηγούμενη σελίδα εἰκονίζεται:

Τὸ ἔντεχνον κανόνιον τῆς μουσικῆς ἐπιστήμης.
Ἀνθολόγιο, Κώδ. 42 Ἱερᾶς Ἀρχιεπισκοπῆς
Κύπρου, φ8r (τέλη 18ου αἰ.).

Previous page:
The artistic table of the musical science. Anthology,
Cod. 42 Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus, f.8r. Late
18th c.

Στὴ δεξιὰ σελίδα εἰκονίζεται:

Ἐπάργυρος σιδηροῦς σταυρός (12ος αἰ.)
On the right page:
Silverplated iron cross. 12th c.

© 2021 ΒΥΖΑΝΤΙΝΟΣ ΧΟΡΟΣ «ΤΡΟΠΟΣ»

ΚΈΝΤΡΟ ΜΕΛΕΤΩΝ ΨΑΛΤΙΚΗΣ ΤΕΧΝΗΣ

Αἰολὶς Πικερμίου, 190 09, Τ.Θ. 1410

Τηλέφωνοτηλεομοιότυπο: 210 6035128 Κινητό:

6977 408907
email: info@troposchoir.gr
www.troposchoir.gr

ISBN 978  618  83911 6 1

ΒΥΖΑΝΤΙΝΟΣ ΧΟΡΟΣ «ΤΡΟΠΟΣ» • ΚΈΝΤΡΟ

ΜΕΛΕΤΩΝ ΨΑΛΤΙΚΗΣ ΤΈΧΝΗΣ

ΔΙΟΙΚΗΤΙΚΟ ΣΥΜΒΟΥΛΙΟ
Φώτιος Μηδᾶς Πρόεδρος
Ἀντώνιος Χάλαρης Ἀντιπρόεδρος
Δημήτριος Νέντας Γραμματέας
Κωνσταντῖνος Μουτάφης Ταμίας
Ἐμμανουὴλ Ἀβραάμ Ἔφορος
Κωνσταντῖνος Τρύφωνος Μέλος
Γεώργιος Σάββας Μέλος

ΕΠΙΤΙΜΑ ΜΕΛΗ
Χρῆστος Ζερεφός Ἀκαδημαϊκός, Ἐπόπτης τοῦ
Κέντρου Ἐρεύνης Φυσικῆς τῆς Ἀτμοσφαίρας καὶ
Κλιματολογίας τῆς Ἀκαδημίας Ἀθηνῶν
Μιχαὴλ Μερακλῆς Ὁμότιμος καθηγητὴς
Λαογραφίας τοῦ Πανεπιστημίου Ἀθηνῶν
Παντελεήμων Πάσχος Ὁμότιμος καθηγητὴς τῆς
Θεολογικῆς Σχολῆς τοῦ Πανεπιστημίου Ἀθηνῶν
Ἰωάννης Τσέγκος Ψυχίατρος, Πρόεδρος τοῦ
Ἀνοιχτοῦ Ψυχοθεραπευτικοῦ Κέντρου
Δημήτριος Χατζηαποστόλου Ζωγράφος
Κρίτων Χρυσοχοΐδης Ὁμότιμος Διευθυντὴς
Ἰνστιτούτου Ἱστορικῶν Ἐρευνῶν τοῦ Ἐθνικοῦ
Ἱδρύματος Ἐρευνῶν

ΑΓΙΟΙ ΤΗΣ ΚΥΠΡΟΥ

Ψάλλει
ὁ Βυζαντινὸς Χορὸς ΤΡΟΠΟΣ

Χοράρχης
ὁ Πρωτοψάλτης καὶ Δάσκαλος
τῆς Ψαλτικῆς Τέχνης
ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΣ ΑΘ. ΑΓΓΕΛΙΔΗΣ

ΑΘΗΝΑ 2021
Διαπερνώντας τὴ νοητὴ πύλη τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς
Κύπρου θὰ συναντήσεις «ἄνθη ποικίλα τῇ ὄψει,
εὔοσμα τῇ ὀσφρήσει, ἀμάραντα τῷ χρόνῳ καὶ
πάντα βεβαμμένα τῷ ἐρυθρῷ τοῦ αἵματος
χρώματι . . .».

Εὐχαριστίες
στὸν Πανοσιολογιώτατο Ἀρχιμανδρίτη Ἐφραίμ,
Καθηγούμενο τῆς Ἱερᾶς Μεγίστης Μονῆς
Βατοπαιδίου · στὸν ἱερομόναχο Θεοφάνη
Βατοπαιδινὸ γιὰ τὴ μελοποιητική του
δραστηριότητα · καὶ στὸν Κωνσταντῖνο Τρύφωνος
γιὰ τὴ δική του μουσικὴ συνεισφορά.

Ἀφιερώνεται
στὸν Νικόλα Γ. Χατζηγιάννη (19172019) ποὺ
γεννήθηκε
στὸ Ἀκάκι τῆς Κύπρου καὶ ὑπηρέτησε γιὰ 90
χρόνια
τὴν Ψαλτικὴ Τέχνη.
Ὑπῆρξε μαθητὴς τοῦ
Θεόδουλου Καλλίνικου
(19042004) Πρωτοψάλτη
τῆς Ἱερᾶς Ἀρχιεπισκοπῆς
Κύπρου μὲ τὸν ὁποῖο ἐξέδωσε βιβλία βυζαντινῆς
μουσικῆς.

Περιεχόμενα

11Χαιρετισμὸς τῆς Α.Μ. τοῦ Ἀρχιεπισκόπου

Κύπρου κ.κ. Χρυσοστόμου
19Κύπρος ἡ γλυκεία χώρα καὶ ἁγία νῆσος
Ἀρχιμανδρίτη Γεώργιου Χριστοδούλου
30Ψαλλόμενα μέλη
35Λόγος πανηγυρικὸς εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἐν Κύπρῳ
ἁγίους
Γερασίμου Μοναχοῦ Μικραγιαννανίτου
56Κωνσταντῖνος Ἀθ. Ἀγγελίδης
59Βυζαντινὸς Χορὸς ΤΡΟΠΟΣ
61Συντελεστές
63Ἀγγλικὴ ἔκδοση / English edition

Χαιρετισμός

Mὲ ἰδιαίτερη εὐχαρίστηση χαιρετίζουμε τὴν

ἔκδοση τοῦ ψηφιακοῦ δίσκου « Ἅγιοι τῆς Κύπρου»,
ἀπὸ τὸν ἐξαίρετο Βυζαντινὸ Χορὸ «ΤΡΟΠΟΣ» καὶ
τὸ Κέντρο Μελετῶν Ψαλτικῆς Τέχνης.
Ἡ Ἐκκλησιαστικὴ Ψαλτικὴ Τέχνη – τὴν ὁποία
ἄριστα ὑπηρετοῦν οἱ συντελεστὲς τοῦ ψηφιακοῦ
δίσκου – μαζὶ μὲ τὶς λοιπὲς ἐκκλησιαστικὲς τέχνες
ἀποτελοῦν τὰ αἰσθητὰ στοιχεῖα, τὰ ὁποῖα
ἐπικουρικὰ συντελοῦν στὴν προσπάθεια τοῦ
ἀνθρώπου νὰ ἀνέλθει πρὸς τὸν Θεὸ καὶ νὰ ἑνωθεῖ
εὐχαριστιακὰ μαζί Του. Ἀνεβάζουν τὴν ψυχὴ τοῦ
ἀνθρώπου ἀπὸ τὸν ὑλικὸ κόσμο πρὸς τὸν
πνευματικό, ἀπὸ τὰ ἐπίγεια πρὸς τὰ οὐράνια, μὲ
στόχο νὰ ἑνωθεῖ ὅλο τὸ «εἶναι» του μὲ τὸν ζώντα
Θεὸ καὶ νὰ ἐξαγιασθεῖ.
Αὐτὴ τὴν ἕνωση μὲ τὸν ἀληθινὸ Θεό, τὴν
ἁγιότητα ὡς τὴν ἐμπειρικὴ βίωση καὶ τὴ συνεχὴ
δημιουργικὴ φανέρωση τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ἀνακαίνισης
τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπέτυχαν εἴτε διὰ τῆς ὁμολογίας καὶ
τοῦ μαρτυρίου, εἴτε διὰ τῆς ὁσίας τους βιωτῆς οἱ
ἀπειράριθμοι ἅγιοι τῆς Κύπρου. Γράφει
χαρακτηριστικὰ ὁ μεσαιωνικὸς χρονογράφος μας
Λεόντιος Μαχαιρᾶς:

«Χρῆσι v’ ἀρκέψω vὰ λαλῶ, v’ ἀρκέψω vὰ

φουμίσω ... τὴ vῆσο τὴv πανθαύμαστn καὶ τὴv
ἁγίαν νῆσσοv πού 'χει πολλὲς ἐπισκοπὲς καὶ
σώματα Ἁγίωv καὶ πολομοῦν τὰ θαυμαστὰ
θαύματα τὰ μεγάλα. κι ἀv ἦτοv vάτουv vὰ τὰ
πῶ ὡς vάζoυv δὲv ἐφτάvvα».

Πραγματικά, ὁ κατάλογος τῶν ἁγίων ποὺ

εὐαρέστησαν τὸν Θεὸ στὴν Κύπρο μὲ τὴν ἁγιότητα
τοῦ βίου τους, τὴ διδασκαλία ἢ τὸ μαρτύριό τους
εἶναι πολὺ μεγάλος. Ἔχουν ἐπισήμως καταγραφεῖ
περὶ τοὺς 240. 

Ὁ συγκριτικὰ μὲ ἄλλες τοπικὲς Ἐκκλησίες μεγάλος

αὐτὸς ἀριθμὸς ἁγίων δὲν εἶναι
μονοσήμαντος. Ὑπάρχει ποικιλία ὡς πρὸς τὶς
τάξεις τῶν ἁγίων (ἄνδρες  γυναῖκες, ἀπόστολοι,
μάρτυρες, πατέρες τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ὅσιοι,
ὁμολογητές, νεομάρτυρες), τὴν ἐποχὴ τῆς ἀκμῆς
τους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν καταγωγή τους. Ὅλοι τους, σὲ
κάθε περίπτωση, ἀποτέλεσαν καὶ συνεχίζουν νὰ
ἀποτελοῦν ὣς τὶς ἡμέρες μας τὸ καύχημα καὶ
κυρίως τὸ στήριγμα τῶν Χριστιανῶν τῆς Κύπρου,
στοὺς καθ’ ἡμέραν πνευματικοὺς καὶ ἐθνικοὺς
πειρασμοὺς καὶ δυσκολίες ποὺ διερχόμαστε.
Ἡ παρούσα ἔκδοση τοῦ ψnφιακοῦ δίσκου, ποὺ
περιλαμβάνει ὕμνους ἀπὸ τὴν ἀκολουθία πάντων
τῶν ἐν Κύπρῳ διαλαμψάντων ἁγίων, ἐξυπηρετεῖ
ἀκριβῶς τὴv ἀνάγκη ἀνάδειξης καὶ τιμῆς τῶν
ἁγίων τῆς Κύπρου, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν στήριξης
καὶ ἐνίσχυσης ὅλων μας στοὺς χαλεποὺς αὐτοὺς
χρόνους.
Θὰ ἦταν παράλειψη ἂν δὲν ἀναφερόμασταν καὶ
στὴν πρωτοβουλία τῆς ἱστορικῆς Ἱερᾶς Μονῆς
Σταυροβουνίου καὶ τοῦ μακαριστοῦ Ἡγουμένου
της, τοῦ Γέροντος Ἀθανασίου, ποὺ πρὶν ἀπὸ τρεῖς
περίπου δεκαετίες ἐξέδωσε τὴν πρώτn ἀκολουθία,
ἀνήγειρε τὸ πρῶτο παρεκκλήσιο καὶ ἁγιογράφnσε
τὴν πρώτη εἰκόνα τῶν ἐν Κύπρῳ ἁγίων.
Ὁ ψnφιακὸς δίσκος « Ἅγιοι τῆς Κύπρου»
ἐκδίδεται χάρη στὴν εὐγενὴ χορηγία τοῦ κ.
Χαράλαμπου Μυλωνᾶ καὶ ἐν εἴδει μνημοσύνου γιὰ
τὸν μακαριστὸ ἱεροψάλτη Νικόλα Γιάννη
Χατζnγιάννn, ὁ ὁποῖος διακόνησε τὸ ψαλτήρι τῆς
κοινότητας Ἀκακίου γιὰ ἐνενήντα συναπτὰ ἔτη,
μέχρι τὴν κοίμησή του σὲ ἠλικία 102 ἐτῶν, τὸ
2019. Στὸ πρόσωπό του, βεβαίως, τιμῶνται καὶ οἱ
ἐδῶ καὶ αἰῶνες ὑπηρετοῦντες τὴν ἱερὰ αὐτὴ τέχνη
στὴ νῆσο μας, ξεκινώντας ἀπὸ τοὺς μεγάλους
δασκάλους καὶ δημιουργούς της, μέχρι τοὺς
ἱεροψάλτες καὶ τῆς πιὸ μικρῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς μας
κοινότητας, ποὺ ταπεινὰ στάθηκαν καὶ συνεχίζουν
νὰ στέκονται στὸ ἀναλόγιο, ἐκπληρώνοντας τὸ
λόγιο τοῦ προφήτου Δαβίδ, «ᾄσω τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐv τῇ
ζωῇ μου, ψαλῶ τῷ Θεῷ μου ἕως ὑπάρχω» (Ψαλ.
103: 33).
Μὲ αὐτὲς τὶς σκέψεις, συγχαίρουμε τὸν Χοράρχη
κ. Κωνσταντῖνο Ἀγγελίδn, τοὺς χορωδοὺς τοῦ
«ΤΡΟΠΟΥ», τὸν ἄξιο καὶ εὐλαβῆ χορηγὸ καὶ
ὅλους τοὺς συντελεστὲς τῆς σημαντικῆς αὐτῆς
προσπάθειας, εὐχόμενοι ἐκ βάθους καρδίας ὅπως
ἡ Ἀκολουθία τῶν ἐν Κύπρῳ ἁγίων ψαλεῖ
δοξολογικὰ καὶ ἐλεύθερα σὲ ὅλους τοὺς ναοὺς μιᾶς
ἐλεύθερης ἀπὸ τὴν κατοχὴ Πατρίδας μας.

Εὐχέτης πρὸς Κύριον

Ἡ Α.Μ. τοῦ Ἀρχιεπισκόπου Κύπρου

κ.κ. ΧΡΥΣΌΣΤΟΜΟΣ

Κύπρος ἡ γλυκεία χώρα καὶ ἁγία νῆσος

Ὅταν μιλᾶμε γιὰ συναξάρι, ἐννοοῦμε τὴ σύναξη

τῶν πηγῶν, γιὰ τὸν βίο καὶ τὴν πολιτεία ἑνὸς
ἁγίου. Ἂν ἡ βιο  λογία ἀποτελεῖ τὴν ἐπιστήμη τῆς
ζωῆς, βιο  γραφία εἶναι ἡ ἱστορία τῆς ζωῆς. Ὁ βίος
ἑνὸς ἁγίου συντίθεται μέσα, ἀλλὰ καὶ πέρα ἀπὸ τὶς
συμβατικότητες τῆς φυσιολογικῆς ζωῆς : τὸ ὄνομα,
ἡ μορφή, τὸ ἀνάστημα, ὁ αἰώνας κλπ. Γι’ αὐτὸ οἱ
ἅγιοι εἰκονίζονται στὶς εἰκόνες ἐνδεδυμένοι μὲ τὰ
ἐνδύματα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, τοῦ πολιτισμοῦ τους.
Αὐτὸ ποὺ μετρᾶ στὸ συναξάρι ἢ μᾶλλον αὐτὸ ποὺ
κάνει τὸν ἅγιο δὲν εἶναι ὁ βίος, ἀλλὰ ἡ πολιτεία
του.
 Πολιτεία εἶναι ἡ προσωπικὴ μέθοδος τὴν ὁποία
μετέρχεται ἕνας ἅγιος γιὰ νὰ φτάσει στὴν ἁγιότητα.
Διαφορετικὴ εἶναι ἡ πολιτεία τοῦ ἁγίου Συμεὼν
τοῦ στυλίτου ἢ τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀνδρέα τοῦ διὰ Χριστὸν
σαλοῦ ἢ τοῦ ὁσίου Νεοφύτου τοῦ Ἐγκλείστου.
Βίος καὶ πολιτεία εἶναι μιὰ νηφάλια σχέση μεταξὺ
τῆς ἱστορίας καὶ τῆς ἐσχατολογίας. Οἱ ἅγιοι δὲν
κατηγοριοποιοῦνται σὲ μεγάλους καὶ μικρούς.
Βέβαια, στοὺς ἁγιολογικοὺς καταλόγους (τυπικά,
ἡμερολόγια κλπ. – ἔργα τῶν ἀνθρώπων)
χαρακτηρίζονται ἀνάλογα μὲ τὸν βίο καὶ τὴν
πολιτεία τους. Στοὺς ἁγίους συμβαίνει τὸ ἴδιο μὲ
τοὺς ναούς. Ὑπάρχουν καθεδρικοὶ ναοὶ ποὺ
ὑπερτεροῦν σὲ μάρμαρο καὶ χρυσὸ ἀπὸ τὰ
βασιλικὰ ἀνάκτορα. Ὑπάρχουν καὶ ναοὶ εὐτελεῖς
σὰν καλύβες. Ὁ Χριστὸς εἶναι τὸ ἴδιο παρὼν σὲ
κάθε καθεδρικὸ ναὸ ἢ καλύβα. Πέραν τῶν
γνωστῶν ἁγίων ὑπάρχουν καὶ οἱ ἀνώνυμοι
ἅγιοι. Ὑπὸ τὴν ἀνωνυμίαν κρύβονται ἐπίσης
μεγάλοι, τὴν ἁγιότητα τῶν ὁποίων γνωρίζει μόνον
ὁ Θεός. Μήπως ὁ πὁθος τῶν ἁγίων δὲν ἦταν νὰ
περάσουν ἀπαρατήρητοι ἀπὸ αὐτὸ τὸν κόσμο;
Ἡ Κύπρος ἀπὸ αἰῶνες προμήθευε ἁγίους,
κατοίκους τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Κοινὴ ἁγία γῆ, γιὰ τὴν
ὁποία θὰ πρέπει νὰ κολακευόμαστε ὅτι πίνομε νερὸ
ἀπὸ τὶς ἴδιες πηγὲς ποὺ ξεδίψασαν καὶ οἱ ἅγιοί μας,
ἀναπνέομε ὄχι μόνο τὸν ἴδιο ἀέρα τῶν δένδρων
μας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἀτμόσφαιρα τῶν προσευχῶν
τους. Ὑποφέρομε στὸ ἴδιο σκοτάδι τῆς νύκτας καὶ
ἀπολαμβάνουμε τὸ ἴδιο φῶς τῆς ἀνατολῆς. Αὐτὴ
εἶναι ἡ ἀτμόσφαιρα, ἡ ὁποία παίζει σημαντικὸ
ρόλο στὴν ἀνάπτυξη τῆς πνευματικῆς ζωῆς.
Εἰσοδεύοντες λοιπὸν στὴν Κύπρο, μέσα σὲ μιὰ
τέτοια ἀτμόσφαιρα μποροῦμε νὰ ἐλπίζουμε μὲ
μεγάλη πεποίθηση στὸν παράδεισο!
Ἡ Παναγία, οἱ ἄγγελοι, οἱ ἅγιοι καὶ ὁ ἴδιος ὁ
οὐρανὸς μᾶς πλησιάζουν. Κατεβαίνουν καὶ
βαδίζουν στὸν τόπο μας, ὡς οἰκεῖοι μας. Ἡ χάρη
τῆς εἰκόνας τῆς Παναγίας (τοῦ Κύκκου) εἶναι ἐδῶ,
ὡς ἡ δύναμη, τὸ στόμα καὶ ἡ φωνὴ τῆς
Θεοτόκου. Ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς Λουκᾶς ὅταν
ζωγράφισε τὴν εἰκόνα, τὴν ἔδειξε στὴ Θεοτόκο καὶ
ἡ Θεοτόκος, ἀφοῦ τὴ σήκωσε στὰ χέρια, εἶπε : « Ἡ
Χάρις τοῦ ἐξ ἐμοῦ τεχθέντος εἴη μετ’ αὐτῆς τῆς
εἰκόνος». Δὲν πρόκειται γιὰ θρησκευτικὴ
ζωγραφική, οὔτε γιὰ πλαστικὴ τέχνη, οὔτε καὶ
ἔχομε ἀποδείξεις ἱστορικές, ἀρχαιολογικὲς καὶ
ἐπιστημονικὲς γιὰ νὰ ἀποδείξουμε ὅτι ὁ
εὐαγγελιστὴς Λουκᾶς ζωγράφισε πραγματικὰ αὐτὴ
τὴν εἰκόνα. Εἴμαστε ὡστόσο βέβαιοι ὅτι οἱ
ἀποδείξεις χρησιμεύουν γιὰ πράγματα γιὰ τὰ ὁποῖα
ἀμφιβάλλει κανείς. Αὐτῆς λοιπὸν τῆς ὑπεραγίας
Θεοτόκου τὰ ἀντίγραφα ἔχομε στὶς ἐκκλησίες μας
καὶ αὐτὴν ἀδιαλείπτως ἐπικαλούμεθα στὶς
προσευχές μας.
Ἡ χρυσὴ σελίδα τοῦ εὐαγγελισμοῦ τῶν Κυπρίων
καταγράφεται στὸ ΙΓΪ κεφάλαιο τῶν Πράξεων
τῶν Ἀποστόλων. Ἡ κάθοδος στὸ νησὶ τῶν
ἀποστόλων μαρνάβα καὶ Παύλου, ἡ σύγκρουση
τοῦ Παύλου μετὰ τοῦ Ἰουδαίου ψευδοπροφήτου
Βαριησοῦ διαρρηγνύει ἐπίσημα τὴ σχέση μὲ τὴν
ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀντίληψη τοῦ χριστιανισμοῦ, ἐνῶ ἡ
προσχώρηση στὸν χριστιανισμὸ τοῦ ῾Ρωμαίου
ἀξιωματούχου ἐπισημοποιεῖ τὴν εἰς τὰ ἔθνη
ἀπαρχὴ τῆς διάδοσης τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ λόγου. Ὁ
ἀνθύπατος τῆς νήσου ΣέργιοςΠαῦλος, ἀνὴρ
συνετός, βαπτίζεται χριστιανός, γεγονὸς τὸ ὁποῖο
ὑποχρεώνει τὸν Σαῦλο νὰ μεταβάλει τὸ ὄνομά του
σὲ Παῦλο. Ἡ σκηνὴ τῆς μεταστροφῆς τοῦ
ἀνθυπάτου θὰ λειτουργήσει ὡς τὸ ἀρχέτυπον τῆς
εἰσόδου τῶν ἐθνικῶν στὴν Ἐκκλησία. Κατ’ αὐτὸν
τὸν τρόπον, ἡ μικρὴ Κύπρος μεταβάλλεται σὲ πύλη
διὰ τῆς ὁποίας ὁ Κύριος εὐαγγελίζεται τὰ ἔθνη καὶ
οἱ ἀνὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην μαθηταὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ
λαμβάνουν τὴν προσωνυμία Χριστιανοί.
 Ἡ Ἐκκλησία τῆς Κύπρου θεωροῦσε πάντοτε
ὑποχρέωσή της νὰ δημοσιεύει τὰ εἰς μνήμην τῶν
ἁγίων της ἀναφερόμενα λειτουργικὰ κείμενα καὶ
ἀκολουθίες. Στὴ λειτουργικὴ ἔκδοση
τῆς Ἱερᾶς Ἀρχιεπισκοπῆς Κύπρου, Κύπρια
Μηναῖα, συμπεριελήφθησαν ἀπὸ ἀρχαῖα
χειρόγραφα καὶ πηγὲς ἐν χρήσει ἀκολουθίες καὶ
ἄλλες οἱ ὁποῖες συνεγράφησαν ἀπὸ συγχρόνους
ὑμνογράφους. Ἡ λειτουργικὴ χρήση τῶν Κυπρίων
Μηναίων δὲν ἀποστασιοποιεῖται ἀπὸ τὴν
πανορθόδοξη λειτουργικὴ πράξη, ἡ ὁποία στόχο
ἔχει τὴ διακονία τῆς λειτουργικῆς ἑνότητας καὶ
ὁμοιομορφίας στὴν Ἐκκλησία, χωρὶς νὰ
ἐκτρέπεται στὴ μονομέρεια τοῦ τοπικισμοῦ.
Τὸ ἀρχαιότερον κείμενον ἀκολουθίας ἐντοπίζεται
στὴ μνήμη τῶν ἁγίων Ἡλιοφώτων. Κείμενον
λειτουργικὰ ἐξαίρετο καὶ πρωτότυπο, ἀνήκει στὸν
κύκλο τοῦ Σωφρονίου καὶ λίγο ἀπέχει ἀπὸ τὸ ὕφος
τοῦ κύκλου τοῦ ῾Ρωμανοῦ τοῦ Μελῳδοῦ. Τὸ
κοντάκιον τῆς ἀκολουθίας, κατ’ ἀρχαίαν
συνήθειαν, φέρει ἀκροστιχίδα, ἐνῶ τὴν ἀκολουθία
διέπει σταθερὸ μέτρο, ρυθμοτομία ἄψογη κατὰ τὴν
κλασσικὴ καὶ μετρικὴ στίξη.
Τὸ κείμενον τῆς ἀκολουθίας τοῦ
ἁγίου Ἡρακλειδίου ἐπισκόπου Δαμασσοῦ διεκδικεῖ
ἀρχαία χειρόγραφη παράδοση, ἡ ὁποία διασώζεται,
πέραν τῆς ἑλληνικῆς, σὲ ἀρμενικὰ καὶ γεωργιανὰ
χειρόγραφα.
Ἰδιαίτερον ἐνδιαφέρον παρουσιάζει ἡ ἀκολουθία
καὶ τὸ συναξάριον τῆς ὁσίας Παύλης τῆς ῾Ρωμαίας,
τὸ ὁποῖο ἀποτελεῖ μετάφρασιν ἀπὸ τὰ λατινικά. Ὁ
βίος τῆς ῾Ρωμαίας πατρικίας φωτίζει τὴν
παλαιοχριστιανικὴ περίοδο τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς
Κύπρου, ὅσον ἀφορᾶ στὸν ἀρχέγονο μοναχισμὸ
τῆς νήσου καὶ τὸν σημαντικὸ ρόλο ποὺ
διεδραμάτισε ἡ ὑψηλὴ ἀριστοκρατία
τοῦ Ἀβεντίνου λόφου τῆς πρεσβυτέρας ῾Ρώμης μὲ
ἐκπροσώπους τὶς ὁσίες Μελανή, Μαρκέλλα καὶ
Παύλα.
Οἱ φερόμενοι ὡς νέοι μάρτυρες,
κατ’ ἀντιδιαστολὴν πρὸς τοὺς νεομάρτυρες τῆς
Τουρκοκρατίας, συνδέονται μὲ τὴν
πρώιμο Ἀραβοκρατία – κεφάλαιο νέο γιὰ τὴν
ἱστορία τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς Κύπρου : Κωνσταντῖνος
ὁ Ὁρμητίας, Θεόφιλος καὶ Ὀνησίφορος. Στὴν
ἀκολουθία τοῦ ἁγίου Θεράποντος, πρωτοτυπία
παρουσιάζει τὸ κείμενον τοῦ ἐγκωμίου εἰς τὸν
ἱερομάρτυρα, τὸ ὁποῖο πιθανώτατα φέρει
ὑπογραφὴν τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀνδρέα Κρήτης, ὅταν ὁ
τελευταῖος ὑποδέχθηκε τὸ ἐκ Κύπρου λείψανον τοῦ
ἱερομάρτυρος ὡς ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸ ἀκρωτήριον Ἐλαία
τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως.

Στὰ Κύπρια Μηναῖα συμπεριλαμβάνονται,

ἐπίσης, οἱ ἀκολουθίες ὅλων τῶν κτητόρων τῶν
μονῶν τῆς Κύπρου, σύμφωνα μὲ τὶς ἀρχαῖες πηγὲς
σωζομένων χειρογράφων, ὅπως οἱ ἀκολουθίες τῶν
ὁσίων : Γεωργίου τοῦ Χρυσοστομίτου, κτήτορος
τῆς Μονῆς τοῦ Χρυσοστόμου Κουτζουβένδου
(ΙΑΪ αἰ.), Εὐτυχίου κτήτορος τῆς Μονῆς
τῶν Ἱερέων στὴν Πάφο (ΔΪ αἰ.), Νεοφύτου
τοῦ Ἐγκλείστου, κτήτορος τῆς
Μονῆς Ἁγίας Ἐγκλείστρας Πάφου
(ΙΒΪ αἰ.), Ἠσαΐου, κτήτορος τῆς Μονῆς Κύκκου
(ΙΒΪ αἰ.), Νεοφύτου, Ἰγνατίου, Προκοπίου καὶ
Νείλου τῶν κτητόρων τῆς Μονῆς Θεοτόκου
Μαχαιράδος (ΙΒΪ αἰ.).
Τὰ λειτουργικὰ κείμενα περὶ τοῦ ὁσίου Νεοφύτου
τοῦ Ἐγκλείστου παρουσιάζουν ἰδιαίτερη σημασία
γιὰ τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴ ὑμνογραφία τῆς
Κύπρου. Ἐπανακάμπτουν στὸν οἰκεῖο λειτουργικὸ
χρόνο ὡς ἀκολούθως : α. 28 Σεπτεμβρίου : ἡ
ἀνεύρεσις τῶν λειψάνων τοῦ ὁσίου, παρουσίᾳ τοῦ
ἀρχιμανδρίτου Κυπριανοῦ – τοῦ συνθέτου τῆς
ἀκολουθίας βάσει τῆς ἀκροστιχίδος τῆς
ἀκολουθίας τοῦ ὁσίου Συμεὼν τοῦ στυλίτου :
«Ψυχοφθόρου ρῦσαι με λύπης, Παμμάκαρ», β.
24 Ἰανουαρίου : ἡ τῆς θεοσημείας μνήμη, ἤτοι
ποίημα Νεοφύτου τοῦ Ἐγκλείστου καὶ κανὼν
προστεθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα ἀδελφοῦ
αὐτοῦ Ἰωάννου τοῦ Χρυσοστομίτου,
καθηγουμένου τῆς Μονῆς τοῦ Ἁγίου Ἰωάννου τοῦ
Χρυσοστόμου Κουτζουβένδη. Ἡ πρωτότυπη αὐτὴ
ἀκολουθία ἀποτελεῖ μίαν τῶν ἀρχαιοτέρων
ἀκολουθιῶν τῆς κυπριακῆς ὑμνογραφίας.

Μεταξὺ ἄλλων, στὰ Κύπρια Μηναῖα

περιλαμβάνεται ἡ ἀκολουθία τοῦ νεομάρτυρος
Πολυδώρου, γόνου τῆς Λευκωσίας, τὴν ὁποία
συνέγραψε ὁ ὅσιος Νικόδημος
ὁ Ἁγιορείτης. Ἐντάσσεται ἡ ἀκολουθία αὐτὴ στὸν
κύκλο τῶν ἐκπροσώπων τοῦ ἐκκλησιαστικοῦ
διαφωτισμοῦ, δηλαδὴ τῶν πνευματικῶν πατέρων
τοῦ νεομάρτυρος Πολυδώρου, Νικηφόρου τοῦ
Χίου, Μακαρίου τοῦ Νοταρᾶ.
 Ἡ Ἐκκλησία τῆς Κύπρου εἶναι καὶ παραμένει
ἕνα πολύτιμο κεφάλαιο. Ἡ διαχρονικὴ συνέχεια
ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῆς
χορείας τῶν μαρτύρων καὶ ἁγίων μοιάζει μέ . . . ἔαρ
νοητὸν ἐν τῷ χειμῶνι τῆς τυραννικῆς αἰχμαλωσίας.
Διαπερνώντας τὴ νοητὴ πύλη τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς
Κύπρου θὰ συναντήσεις «ἄνθη ποικίλα τῇ ὄψει,
εὔοσμα τῇ ὀσφρήσει, ἀμάραντα τῷ χρόνῳ καὶ
πάντα βεβαμμένα τῷ ἐρυθρῷ τοῦ αἵματος
χρώματι . . .». Μαζὶ μὲ τὸ ἐπικείμενον νέφος τῶν
ἁγίων καὶ ἡμεῖς πρὸς Κύριον ἐκβοῶμεν : «Κύριε, ὁ
ταῦτα φυτεύσας, πρεσβείαις τοῦ πανευφήμου καὶ
γενναίου μάρτυρος Βαρνάβα τοῦ ἀποστόλου, τοῦ
αἰωνίου ἔαρος καὶ ἡμᾶς ἀξίωσον».

Ἀρχιμανδρίτης ΓΕΏΡΓΙΟΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΔΟΎΛΟ

Ἀρχιγραμματεὺς τῆς Ἱερᾶς Συνόδου τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς Κύπρου
Ψαλλόμενα μέλη

1.«Στιχηρὰ προσόμοια τοῦ μεγάλου ἑσπερινοῦ

τονισθέντα ἐντέχνως, κατὰ τὸν τρόπον καὶ τὸ ὕφος τῶν
προσομοίων τοῦ μακαριστοῦ μοναχοῦ Ματθαίου
Βατοπαιδινοῦ τοῦ ἐξ Ἐφέσου ὁρμωμένου (†1849)».
Μέλος ἱερομονάχου Θεοφάνους Βατοπαιδινοῦ
(γενν. 1977).
Στοὺς στίχους οἱ: Κ. Ἀγγελίδης, Κ. Τρύφωνος,
Δ. Νέντας, Ἐμμ. Ἀβραάμ.
Ἦχος πρῶτος.  7:29
2.Σήμερον εἰς ἓν συνέλθωμεν τὰ τῶν Κυπρίων
συστήματα.
Δοξαστικὸ τοῦ μεγάλου ἑσπερινοῦ. Μέλος
ἱερομονάχου Θεοφάνους Βατοπαιδινοῦ.
Ἦχος πλάγιος τοῦ πρώτου.  8:51

3.Εὐφραίνου ἐν Κυρίῳ ἡ μεγαλόνησος Κύπρος.

Ἰδιόμελο τῆς λιτῆς. Μέλος ἱερομονάχου
Θεοφάνους Βατοπαιδινοῦ. Ἦχος πρῶτος.  2:57

4.Τὴν θεοπρεπῆ πανήγυριν τῶν ἐν Κύπρῳ ἁγίων.

Δοξαστικὸ τῆς λιτῆς. Μέλος ἱερομονάχου
Θεοφάνους Βατοπαιδινοῦ.
Ἦχος τέταρτος στιχηραρικός.  7:50

5.«Προσόμοια εἰς τὸν στίχον τονισθέντα ἐντέχνως,

κατὰ τὸ ὕφος
τῶν προσομοίων Ματθαίου Βατοπαιδινοῦ τοῦ
ἐξ Ἐφέσου (†1849)».
Τὸ πρῶτο, μέλος ἱερομονάχου Θεοφάνους
Βατοπαιδινοῦ,
σὲ ἀργὸ εἱρμολογικὸ δρόμο, τὰ δὲ δύο τελευταῖα
σὲ σύντομο δρόμο, τὸ δὲ μέλος Πέτρου τοῦ
Βυζαντίου.
Μονωδίες: Κ. Τρύφωνος, Χρ. Μελής, Π.
Παπακυριακοῦ.
Ἦχος πλάγιος τοῦ πρώτου τετραφωνῶν.  6:58

6.Διελθόντες νομίμως καιροῖς ἰδίοις.

«Δόξα εἰς τὸν στίχον». Μέλος ἱερομονάχου
Θεοφάνους Βατοπαιδινοῦ.
Ἦχος πλάγιος τοῦ δευτέρου.  7:21

7. Τοὺς ἐν Κύπρῳ ἁγίους.

Τὸ ἀπολυτίκιο τῆς ἑορτῆς σὲ σύντομο καὶ ἀργὸ
δρόμο.
Ἦχος πρῶτος.  3:46

8.«Στιχηρὰ προσόμοια εἰς τοὺς αἴνους, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον

εἰς ἀργὸν εἱρμολογικὸν δρόμον, τὰ δὲ τρία τελευταῖα
εἰς σύντομον».
Τὸ πρῶτο, μέλος ἱερομονάχου Θεοφάνους
Βατοπαιδινοῦ, τὰ δὲ μέλος Πέτρου τοῦ
Βυζαντίου.  
Μονωδίες: π. Μ. Παπαχριστοδούλου, π. Γ.
Γραμματής, Δ. Καραγιάμπας, Κ. Κώστα.
Ἦχος πλάγιος τοῦ τετάρτου.  6:25

9. Τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

 «Δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἴνους». Μέλος ἱερομονάχου
Θεοφάνους Βατοπαιδινοῦ.
Ἦχος πλάγιος τοῦ τετάρτου.  6:50

10. Μακαρισμοί.
Ἡ γ΄καὶ ἡ ϛ΄ ὠδὴ τῶν κανόνων τῆς ἑορτῆς τῶν
ἁγίων τῆς Κύπρου, στοὺς ἤχους πρῶτο καὶ πλάγιο
τοῦ τετάρτου τρίφωνο. Καταγραφὴ κατὰ τὴν
ἁγιορειτικὴ προφορικὴ παράδοση ἀπὸ τὸν
Κωνσταντῖνο Τρύφωνος (γενν. 1984).

Στοὺς στίχους οἱ: π. Γ. Γραμματής, Κ. Τρύφωνος,

Δ. Νέντας, π. Μ. Παπαχριστοδούλου, Κ.
Ἀγγελίδης, Π. Λεβάκος,
Α. Καρανάσης, Ε. Χαβάτζας, Π. Νταβράζος, Ι.
Τερζάκης, Α. Ἀγγελόπουλος, Ν. Γεωργαντώνης
5:53

11. Μεγαλυνάρια.
Καταγραφὴ κατὰ τὴν ἁγιορειτικὴ προφορικὴ
παράδοση ἀπὸ τὸν Κωνσταντῖνο Τρύφωνος.
Ἦχος δεύτερος.  4:25
68:49
Λόγος πανηγυρικὸς εἰς πάντας
τοὺς ἐν Κύπρῳ ἁγίους
Ὑπὸ ΓΕΡΑΣΊΜΟΥΜΟΝΑΧΟΥ͂
ΜΙΚΡΑΓΙΑΝΝΑΝΊΤΟΥ
Ὑμνογράφου τῆς Μεγάλης τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησίας

Ἐμοὶ δὲ λίαν ἐτιμήθησαν οἱ φίλοι σου ὁ Θεός,

λίαν ἐκραταιώθησαν αἱ ἀρχαὶ αὐτῶν.
Ἐξαριθμήσομαι αὐτούς, καὶ ὑπὲρ ἄμμον
πληθυνθήσονται
 Ψαλμ. 138: 1718

Ἱερωτάτην πληθὺν ἁγίων καὶ μυριάριθμον δῆμον

θαυμαστῶν θεραπόντων τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐμφανίζει εἰς
ἡμᾶς, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί, ἡ Μεγαλόνησος Κύπρος,
τὴν ὁποίαν δικαίως πρέπει νὰ ὀνομάσωμεν
ἁγιοτόκον καὶ νῆσον ἁγίων. Ἀνέδειξε διὰ μέσου
τῶν αἰώνων ἁγίους ἀποστόλους, καλλινίκους
μάρτυρας, θεηγόρους ἱεράρχας καὶ ποιμένας,
θεοφόρους ἀσκητὰς καὶ ὁσίους ἀναχωρητάς. Ἐν
ἑνὶ λόγῳ πολυάριθμον σύλλογον καὶ συναγωγὴν
γνωστῶν καὶ ἀνωνύμων ἁγίων, οἵτινες κατὰ
διαφόρους καιροὺς καὶ χρόνους καὶ μὲ ποικίλους
τρόπους ἁγίας πολιτείας καὶ ἐναρέτου ζωῆς
διέλαμψαν καὶ εὐηρέστησαν καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν
Κύριον τῆς δόξης καὶ Σωτῆρα ἡμῶν.
Τίς μὴ θαυμάσῃ τὸ ἀπειράριθμον καὶ μυριώνυμον
τοῦτο πλῆθος τῶν ἐν Κύπρῳ ἁγίων ; Τίς
ἀπαριθμήσει τὰς ἀρετάς, τὰ κατορθώματα, τὰς
εὐαγγελικὰς αὐτῶν καὶ ἁγίας πράξεις ; Τίς ὑμνήσει
τὰς ἐνεργείας τῶν θαυμάτων καὶ τὰς δυνάμεις τῶν
ἰαμάτων, δι’ ὧν εὐηργέτησαν κατὰ διαφόρους
τρόπους καὶ καιροὺς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τήν
τε ἐν Κύπρῳ καὶ τὴν ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην
οὗτοι οἱ μακάριοι;
 Ἐκ πάσης γωνίας καὶ παντὸς σημείου τῆς
Κύπρου ἀναφαίνονται θεοφόροι ἅγιοι καὶ
δεδοξασμένοι θεράποντες τοῦ παντοκράτορος
Θεοῦ, ὡς λαμπάδες φαειναί · καὶ διαχέουσι
πανταχοῦ τὸ φῶς τῆς πίστεως καὶ τὰ ἀπαυγάσματα
τῆς ἁγίας καὶ εὐαγγελικῆς ζωῆς καὶ τὰς παντοίας
ἐνεργείας τῶν πολλῶν θαυμάτων εἰς περιποίησιν
καὶ σωτηρίαν πάσης ψυχῆς καὶ δόξαν Θεοῦ, τοῦ
δοξασθέντος δι’ αὐτῶν καὶ δοξάζοντος αὐτούς ·
«τοὺς γὰρ δοξάζοντάς με δοξάσω, λέγει Κύριος
Παντοκράτωρ» (Βασιλ. Α΄: 2, 30). Οὗτοι οἱ
θεοφόροι ἅγιοι, τὸ μὲν οἱ μάρτυρες, τὸ δὲ οἱ
ἱεράρχαι καὶ ὅσιοι, γνωστοί τε καὶ ἀνώνυμοι, οἱ ἐκ
τῆς Κύπρου ἀνατείλαντες, ἠρνήσαντο ἑαυτοὺς
κατὰ τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν φωνὴν καὶ ἠκολούθησαν
ἀνεπιστρεπτὶ τῷ Σωτήρι Χριστῷ καὶ ἔζησαν τὴν ἐν
Αὐτῷ ἁγίαν καὶ μακαρίαν ζωὴν κατὰ διαφόρους
καὶ ποικίλους τρόπους.
Καὶ οἱ μὲν ὡμολόγησαν τὸ ὑπερύμνητον τοῦ
Κυρίου Ὄνομα, τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα, ἐπὶ ἀπίστων
καὶ τυράννων ἐν ἀπτοήτῳ παῤῥησίᾳ καὶ θαρσαλέᾳ
ψυχῇ καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς καλῆς αὐτῆς ὁμολογίας ἐξέχεον
τὸ αἷμα αὐτῶν καὶ προσήχθησαν τῷ Βασιλεῖ τῶν
αἰώνων, «ὡς θύματα λογικὰ καὶ ὡς ὁλοκαυτώματα
ἄμωμα καὶ προσφοραὶ τέλειαι».
 Οἱ δὲ θαυμαστοὶ ἱεράρχαι καὶ ποιμένες,
δεξάμενοι τὴν ἀποστολικὴν χάριν, ἐποίμαναν
εὐαγγελικῶς τὸν περιούσιον λαὸν τοῦ Κυρίου, ὡς
ἀληθεῖς ποιμένες καὶ λειτουργοὶ τῆς θείας δόξης
καὶ γνήσιοι μαθηταὶ τοῦ Ἀρχιποίμενος Χριστοῦ.
Καὶ τέλος οἱ ὅσιοι πατέρες καὶ θεοφόροι ἀσκηταὶ
ἐνέκρωσαν τελείως τὴν σάρκαν «σὺν τοῖς
παθήμασι καὶ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις» κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον
Παῦλον δι’ ἀκροτάτης ἀσκήσεως καὶ ἐντονωτάτης
ἐγκρατείας καὶ λοιπῶν ἀσκητικῶν ἀγώνων καὶ
καμάτων · καὶ ἐγένοντο «ἔξω κόσμου καὶ σαρκὸς»
κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα ἅγιον, ζήσαντες, ὡς ἄσαρκοι,
ὑπὲρ τὰ ὁρώμενα. «Καὶ οὗτοι πάντες,
μαρτυρηθέντες διὰ τῆς πίστεως» καὶ τῶν ἔργων καὶ
δοξασθέντες παρὰ Θεοῦ «ἐν σημείοις καὶ τέρασι
καὶ ποικίλαις δυνάμεσι καὶ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου
μερισμοῖς» ( Ἑβρ. 2: 4), διαλάμπουσι κατὰ πᾶσαν
τὴν Κύπρον καὶ καθ’ ὅλην τὴν ἁγίαν τοῦ
Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησίαν, ὡς ἄστρα ἀείφωτα πάσης
ἀρετῆς καὶ Εὐαγγελικῆς πράξεως, ὡς πυρσοὶ
σωτήριοι, ὁδηγοῦντες πρὸς λιμένας μετανοίας καὶ
σωτηρίας τοὺς χειμαζομένους ἐν τῷ πελάγει τοῦ
ματαίου κόσμου καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τῆς ἁμαρτίας
καί, ὡς ὁδηγοὶ καὶ ποδηγέται, ἀσφαλῶς ὁδηγοῦντες
ἡμᾶς διὰ λόγου καὶ πράξεως πρὸς τὴν ὁδὸν τῶν
ἐντολῶν καὶ προσταγμάτων τοῦ Κυρίου, «μέχρι
καταντήσωμεν οἱ πάντες εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς
πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς
ἄνδρα τέλειον, εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος
τοῦ Χριστοῦ» ( Ἐφεσ. 4: 13).

Ἀδυνατεῖ ἢ μᾶλλον εἰπεῖν ἰλιγγιᾷ ὁ μικρός μου

νοῦς, ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες, ἵνα, μακρηγορῶν,
ἐγκωμιάσω ἕνα ἕκαστον ἐκ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ἁγίων
τούτων, καὶ εἴπω τὰ τῆς μακαρίας αὐτῶν ζωῆς καὶ
πολιτείας τὰ κατορθώματα. Οὗτοι ὑπερέβησαν
ἀληθῶς τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν καὶ ἔζησαν ὑπὲρ
φύσιν καὶ ἐπληρώθησαν ἀγγελικῶν δωρημάτων καὶ
χαρισμάτων καὶ ἀπετέλεσαν ὁλόκληρον καὶ
περιφανῆ Ἐκκλησίαν ἀπογεγραμμένων ἐν
οὐρανοῖς, καὶ ἀπολαμβανόντων ἤδη
ἀνακεκαλυμμένου τοῦ καρποῦ τῆς θεώσεως,
πληρωσάντων τῆς ἐπιγείου ζωῆς τὸν δρόμον.
Καὶ ἰδού, ὡς μέγας ἑωσφόρος, διαλάμπει ἐν μέσῳ
τῆς χορείας τῶν ἐν Κύπρῳ ἁγίων ὁ μακάριος
ἀπόστολος Βαρνάβας. Οὗτος ἦν Κύπριος τῷ γένει,
προσήγαγε δὲ τὸν ἀπόστολον Παῦλον πρὸς τοὺς
ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ μαθητάς, οὓς καὶ
συνεδίδαξαν. Ἀργότερον καὶ συνέκδημος ἐγένετο
τοῦ ἀποστόλου Παύλου ἐν τῷ κηρύγματι τοῦ
Εὐαγγελίου. Ἐλθὼν τέλος εἰς τὴν πατρίδα αὐτοῦ
Κύπρον, ἐκήρυξε κατὰ τὴν δεδομένην αὐτῷ χάριν
καὶ σοφίαν τὸν Σωτήρα Χριστόν, καὶ ἐγκαθίδρυσε
καὶ συνεκρότησε τὴν ἐνταῦθα ἁγίαν Ἐκκλησίαν,
ἱδρυτὴς καὶ παιδαγωγὸς καὶ νυμφαγωγὸς αὐτῆς
γενόμενος «ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἔργῳ, ἐν ἀναστροφῇ», καὶ
μαρτυρικῷ τέλει ἐσφράγισε τὴν ἁγίαν αὐτοῦ ζωήν,
λιθοβοληθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀπίστων Ἰουδαίων · τὸ δὲ
ἱερὸν αὐτοῦ λείψανον, εὑρεθὲν παρὰ τὴν Σαλαμῖνα
τῆς Κύπρου ἐπὶ αὐτοκράτορος Ζήνωνος,
μετεκομίσθη βραδύτερον, ἐπὶ τῶν ἀραβικῶν
ἐπιδρομῶν, εἰς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν πόλιν.
Πρῶτος μεταξὺ τῶν ἱεραρχῶν τῆς ἐν
Κύπρῳ Ἁγίας Ἐκκλησίας, μετὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον
ἅγιον Βαρνάβαν, πρέπει νὰ κατατάσσηται ὁ ἅγιος
Λάζαρος ὁ τετραήμερος, ὁ φίλος τοῦ Κυρίου, ὅστις
μετὰ τὴν παράδοξον ἔγερσιν ἀπὸ τοῦ τάφου
κατεστάθη ποιμὴν τῆς κατὰ τὸ Κίτιον Ἐκκλησίας
τῆς Κύπρου. Τούτου τὸ ἱερὸν λείψανον μετέφερεν
ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ Λέων ὁ Σοφὸς εἰς
Κωνσταντινούπολιν, ὅπου καὶ ἰδιαιτέρως ἐτιμᾶτο.
Ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἀρκάδιος καὶ Νέστωρ, ἐπίσκοποι
Τριμιθοῦντος, καὶ ἕτερος Ἀρκάδιος,
ἐπίσκοπος Ἀρσινόης, θαυμαστοὶ ἀνεδείχθησαν
μεταξὺ τῶν ἁγίων τῆς Κύπρου ἱεραρχῶν.
Ἐπίσης Ἰσαάκιος καὶ Μελέτιος, Μνάσων καὶ
Γεώργιος, Γελάσιος καὶ Τριφύλλιος, δύο
Δημητριανοί, καὶ πλεῖστοι ἄλλοι θεοειδεῖς, καὶ
ὅσιοι καὶ θεόληπτοι ἱεράρχαι καὶ ποιμένες
καταλαμπρύνουσιν, ὡς φωτεινοὶ ἀστέρες, τὴν ἐν
Κύπρῳ ἁγίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησίαν. Ὁ δὲ θεῖος
Μακάριος, ἐπίσκοπος Πάφου, ὁ ὅσιος καὶ σοφός,
εἷς τῶν μακαρίων καὶ ὁσίων ποιμένων καὶ
ἱεραρχῶν ἀνεδείχθη, ποιμάνας τὸν λαὸν τοῦ
Κυρίου «ἐν ὁσιότητι καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ» καὶ δικαίως
ἀξιωθεὶς τῆς οὐρανίου μακαριότητος. Ἰδοὺ καὶ
ἕτερος ποιμὴν τῆς Πάφου, ὡς νεοφανὴς ἀστήρ,
ἀνατέλλει, ὁ θεῖος Πανάρετος, ὁ φερωνύμως
ἐργάτης πάσης ἀρετῆς καὶ τῆς ταπεινώσεως
ἐμφανὲς ὑπόδειγμα καὶ τῶν πάλαι ἁγίων ἱεραρχῶν
τύπος ἀκριβής.
Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ ἅγιος Γεννάδιος, ἀρχιεπίσκοπος
Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, πρέπει νὰ συγκαταλέγηται
εἰς τὸν ἱερὸν χορὸν τῶν ἁγίων τῆς μεγαλονήσου
Κύπρου. Οὗτος ὁ μακάριος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος,
ὡς ἀφηγεῖται ὁ ἅγιος Νεόφυτος ὁ Ἔγκλειστος,
παραιτησάμενος τοῦ θρόνου, μετέβη
εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς Κύπρον μετὰ τῆς
συνοδείας αὐτοῦ, περιεπλανήθη καθ’ ὁδὸν καὶ
ἐκοιμήθη ἐν τῇ νήσῳ Κύπρῳ τῶν δικαίων καὶ τῶν
ἁγίων τὸν ὕπνον, τελευτήσας ἐξ ἀφορήτου
παγετοῦ.

Τί δὲ εἴπωμεν περὶ τοῦ χοροῦ τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων

καὶ ἱερομαρτύρων καὶ ὁσιομαρτύρων καὶ περὶ
πάντων τῶν ὁσίων πατέρων καὶ θεοφόρων
ἀσκητῶν, τῶν διαπρεψάντων κατὰ καιροὺς ἐν τῇ
μεγαλονήσῳ καὶ ἁγιασάντων τὴν γῆν αὐτῆς διὰ τῶν
ἁγίων αὐτῶν ἀγώνων καὶ καμάτων καὶ πολυειδῶν
ἀρετῶν καὶ κατορθωμάτων, δι’ ὧν πλουσίως
ἐδοξάσθησαν παρὰ Κυρίου ;
Ἐπιλείψει με ὁ χρόνος διηγούμενον καὶ
ἀπαριθμοῦντα τὰ ὀνόματα τοσούτου πλήθους
ἁγίων, καὶ τὰς ἐξαιρέτους χάριτας καὶ εὐεργεσίας,
τὰς ὁποίας παρέσχον καὶ παρέχουσι διηνεκῶς εἰς
τὴν στρατευόμενην Ἐκκλησίαν οἱ ἅγιοι τοῦ Θεοῦ
ἄνθρωποι, οἱ ἀξιωθέντες οὐρανίου κλήσεως καὶ
ἤδη παρεστῶτες μετὰ δόξης πρὸ τοῦ θρόνου τῆς
θείας τοῦ Σωτῆρος μεγαλωσύνης.
Οἱ ἱερομάρτυρες Ἡρακλείδιος καὶ Μνάσων
ποιμαντικῶς διέπρεψαν καὶ εὐδοκίμως
ἠγωνίσθησαν καὶ ἀθλητικῶς διὰ πυρὸς Χριστῷ
προσηνέχθησαν, ὡς θύματα εὐπρόσδεκτα καὶ
προσφοραὶ ἅγιαι καὶ τέλειαι, καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐξαιτεῖται
ἡμῖν τὸ θεῖον ἔλεος, ὁ δὲ ἀποπνέει πᾶσι τὸ μύρον
τῆς θεϊκῆς χρηστότητος.
Ὡσαύτως ὁ θαυμαστὸς ἱερομάρτυς Θεράπων, ὁ
καλῶς ἀγωνισάμενος καὶ καταπαλαίσας τὸν
ἀντίπαλον, θεραπεύει ψυχὰς καὶ σώματα διὰ τῆς
δοθείσης αὐτῷ χάριτος παρὰ τῆς ἀενάου πηγῆς τοῦ
Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ.
Μεταξὺ τῶν ὁσίων καὶ ἀσκητῶν τῆς ἐν
Κύπρῳ Ἐκκλησίας ἐξέχουσαν θέσιν κατέχει ὁ
ὅσιος καὶ Μέγας Ἱλαρίων, ὁ περιφανὴς ἐν ἀσκηταῖς
καὶ περίδοξος ἐν ὁσίοις. Ὡσαύτως ὁ ὅσιος
Νεόφυτος ὁ Ἔγκλειστος, ὁ θεοδίδακτος πατὴρ καὶ
θεοφόρος ῥήτωρ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ φιλοσοφίας καὶ
τῶν ῥημάτων τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς, ὁ λαβὼν πλουσίαν
τὴν χάριν τῆς διδασκαλίας παρὰ τοῦ Παναγίου
Πνεύματος, τοῦ σοφίζοντος τοὺς ἀσόφους καὶ
διδάσκοντος τοὺς ἀγραμμάτους τὴν οὐράνιον
σοφίαν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Χοζεβίτης Γεώργιος, ὁ
φερωνύμως γεωργήσας τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς τὴν
πλουσίαν καρποφορίαν ἐν τῇ ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ
περιωνύμῳ Μονῇ τοῦ Χοζεβᾶ. Πάντες οὗτοι
δι’ ἀτρύτων ἀσκητικῶν καμάτων καὶ ἰσαγγέλου
ζωῆς, θεοπρεπῶς ἐδοξάσθησαν, ὡς οὐράνιοι
ἄνθρωποι καὶ ἐπίγειοι ἄγγελοι.
Θεοσέβιος δὲ ὁ Ἀρσινοΐτης, ὁ ἐκ τοῦ χωρίου
Μελάνδρα τῆς Πάφου καταγόμενος, ὁ ὅσιος ἐν
ὁσίοις καὶ ἀκατάβλητος ἐν τοῖς ἀσκητικοῖς πόνοις
καὶ ἱδρῶσιν, ὑπερφυῶς ἠγωνίσατο ἐν ἀνθρωπίνῳ
σώματι.
Οἱ ἐν Καντάρᾳ πάλιν
Τρεισκαιδέκα Ὁσιομάρτυρες, οἵτινες ἐν ἀνδρείᾳ
ψυχῇ καὶ ἀκαταβλήτῳ φρονήματι καὶ ἐνθέῳ
στόματι ἤλεγξαν καὶ ἐστηλίτευσαν τὰς τῶν
αἱρετικῶν Λατίνων καινοφωνίας καὶ αἱρέσεις καὶ
φληναφίας, καὶ ὑπέστησαν τὸν διὰ πυρὸς ὀδυνηρὸν
θάνατον, ὡς μάρτυρες καὶ ὁμολογηταὶ
τῆς Ὀρθοδόξου Πίστεως μεγαλύνονται, καὶ τῶν
ὀρθῶν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἡμῶν δογμάτων καὶ
παραδόσεων ἀκραιφνεῖς τηρηταὶ ὑμνολογοῦνται.
Ὁ χαριτώνυμος Ἰωάννης ὁ Λαμπαδιστής, ὅστις,
ὡς λαμπὰς ἀειφανὴς τῆς χάριτος, διαυγάζει τῆς
εὐσεβείας τὴν λαμπρότητα καὶ ἀπελαύνει τὰς
ζοφερὰς ἐνεργείας τῶν ἀρχόντων τοῦ σκότους,
παρέχει εἰς ἡμᾶς διὰ τῶν πρεσβειῶν αὐτοῦ χάριν
καὶ ἔλεος, καὶ παθῶν ἀπολύτρωσιν.
Ἀλλὰ πῶς ἀξίως ἐγκωμιάσωμεν τὴν ἀρετὴν τοῦ
ἁγίου Τύχωνος, τοῦ θεολήπτου ποιμένος καὶ
προέδρου τῆς Ἀμαθοῦντος καὶ διώκτου καὶ
ὀλετῆρος τῶν ἀκαθάρτων πνευμάτων ; Πλουσίαν
χάριν ἔλαβεν ὁ ἱερώτατος οὗτος πατήρ, καὶ μέγας
φαίνεται ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις τῆς Κύπρου. Ἀλλὰ καὶ
Συνέσιος ὁ Καρπασίας ἐν πολλῇ συνέσει κατὰ τὴν
προσηγορίαν αὐτοῦ ἐποίμανε τὴν λαχοῦσαν αὐτῷ
ποίμνην καὶ ἤκουσε παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου τό · «Εὖ
δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ». Καὶ Μάρκελλος ὁ
Κύπριος, ὁ Ἀπαμείας τῆς Συρίας ποιμενάρχης,
εὐαγγελικῶς ποιμάνας τὴν λογικὴν τοῦ Κυρίου
ποίμνην, ἤλεγξεν εὐθαρσῶς τῶν εἰδώλων τὴν
πλάνην καὶ ὑπέστη διὰ πυρὸς μαρτυρικὸν θάνατον.
Καὶ ἰδοὺ νῦν ὁ λόγος περὶ τῶν τριακοσίων ὁσίων
καὶ θεοφόρων πατέρων καὶ ἀσκητῶν, τῶν ἐλθόντων
ἐκ Παλαιστίνης, καὶ ἐγκαταβιωσάντων εἰς πλεῖστα
μέρη τῆς μεγαλονήσου, καὶ ἁγιασάντων τὰ εὐσεβῆ
πληρώματα τῶν Κυπρίων διὰ τῆς ἁγιωτάτης ζωῆς
αὐτῶν καὶ διὰ τῆς καταθέσεως τῶν τιμίων αὐτῶν
λειψάνων, ἐξ ὧν ἀναβλύζει Χάρις ἀέναος καὶ
ἁγιασμὸς ἀνεξάντλητος τῇ δωρεᾷ καὶ ἐπιφοιτήσει
τοῦ Παναγίου Πνεύματος. Πλείστης εὐλαβείας καὶ
τιμῆς ἀξιοῦνται οὗτοι παρὰ τῶν πιστῶν Κυπρίων,
καὶ δικαίως · διότι πολλὴν ὠφέλειαν παρέσχον καὶ
παρέχουσιν εἰς πάντας καὶ σπεύδουσιν εἰς βοήθειαν
τῶν ἐπικαλουμένων αὐτοὺς μετὰ πίστεως.

Μακαρία τυγχάνει ἀληθῶς ἡ μεγαλόνησος καὶ

ἁγιότοκος Κύπρος, ἡ Νῆσος τῶν Ἁγίων, ἔχουσα
τοσοῦτον νέφος ἁγίων, κατὰ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν
φωνήν, ὡς στύλους εὐσεβείας καὶ τύπους ἐναρέτου
ζωῆς, καὶ ὑποδείγματα Εὐαγγελικῆς καὶ καθαρᾶς
πολιτείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσης τῆς ἁγίας
καὶ Ὀρθοδόξου Ἐκκλησίας φαεινοτάτους ἀστέρας
καὶ φωστῆρας καὶ εὐήχους σάλπιγγας ὀρθοῦ βίου
καὶ ἁγίων καὶ ὀρθοδόξων παραδόσεων.
Τοιοῦτοι παμφαεῖς καὶ ὑπέρλαμπροι φωστῆρες
τυγχάνουσιν οἱ μέγιστοι ἱεράρχαι · ὁ ἅγιος
Σπυρίδων, λέγω, ὁ ἅγιος Ἐπιφάνιος καὶ ὁ
ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Ἐλεήμων.
Καὶ τίς ἀγνοεῖ τὸν μέγαν ἐν θαύμασι καὶ
περιβόητον πανταχοῦ συμπαθέστατον ἅγιον
Σπυρίδωνα; Τολμῶ νὰ εἴπω ὅτι καὶ μόνη ἡ δόξα καὶ
ἡ πλουσιωτάτη χάρις τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ τούτου
Πατρὸς εἶναι δυνατὸν νὰ κατακαλύψῃ ὅλην τὴν
Κύπρον. Σπεύδει πανταχοῦ καὶ παρέχει ταχύτατην
βοήθειαν εἰς τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους αὐτόν. Εἶναι τοῖς
πᾶσι γνωστὸς ὁ θαυμάσιος βίος τοῦ ἀγγελόφρονος
τούτου Πατρὸς καὶ τὰ καθ’ ἑκάστην θαύματα
αὐτοῦ. Ἡ Κέρκυρα, ἥτις ηὐμοίρησε νὰ πλουτῇ τὸ
ἄφθαρτον αὐτοῦ λείψανον, εἶναι διαπρύσιος κῆρυξ
τῶν θερμῶν αὐτοῦ ἀντιλήψεων καὶ τῆς πάσης
φύσεως βοηθείας αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς ἔχοντας ἀνάγκην.
Τὸ ἱερὸν τούτου λείψανον, ὡς εἶναι γνωστόν, ἐκ
Κύπρου, ἔνθα ἐσώζετο, μετεκομίσθη εἰς
Κωνσταντινούπολιν λόγῳ τῶν κατὰ τῆς Νήσου
ἐπιδρομῶν τῶν Ἀράβων καὶ ἐτιμᾶτο ἐν τῇ βασιλίδι
πόλει μεγαλοπρεπῶς · ἐκεῖθεν δὲ κατὰ τὴν
ἀποφράδα εἰκοστὴν ἐνάτην Μαΐου, καθ’ ἥν «ἑάλω
ἡ πόλις», μετεφέρθη ὑπὸ τοῦ ἱερέως Γεωργίου
Καλοχαιρέτου εἰς Κέρκυραν, καταστὰν μέγα
καταφύγιον καὶ παραμύθιον τῶν ἐκεῖσε πιστῶν. Θὰ
ἤρκει πρὸς τοῦτο μόνον ἡ ἀφθονοπάροχος καὶ
πλουσία χάρις τοῦ μεγάλου πατρὸς καὶ
θαυματουργοῦ Σπυρίδωνος, οὗ ὁ φθόγγος τῶν
θαυμάτων ἐξῆλθε καὶ διέδραμεν εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν,
καὶ ἡ ταχυτάτη καὶ ὀξυτάτη ἀντίληψις προφθάνει
καὶ ταχέως βοηθεῖ τοὺς σπεύδοντας εἰς τὴν
προστασίαν καὶ ἀρωγὴν αὐτοῦ. Θὰ ἤρκει, λέγω,
μόνον ἡ θεόθεν δεδομένη Χάρις εἰς τὸ περιφανὲς
καὶ πολυδόξαστον τοῦτο βλάστημα τῆς Κύπρου,
τὸν ἱερώτατον Σπυρίδωνα, εἰς βεβαίωσιν τῶν λόγων
μου, ἀλλὰ σὺν τοῦτῳ ἔχομεν καὶ τὸ περικείμενον
ἡμῖν νέφος τῶν ἁγίων, διατρανοῦν καὶ
προσβεβαιοῦν τὴν τῶν λεχθέντων ἀλήθειαν.
Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ θεῖος Ἐπιφάνιος, ὁ φερωνύμως
ἐπιφανεὶς «ἐν λόγῳ καὶ βίῳ καὶ σοφίᾳ»,
ἀποστολικὴν ἔχων ζωὴν καὶ ζῆλον εὐσεβείας
ἀπαράμιλλον, ἀνεδείχθη μέγας ἱεράρχης καὶ
πρόμαχος τῆς Ὀρθοδόξου Ἐκκλησίας,
στηλιτεύσας καὶ θριαμβεύσας τὰ τῶν κακοδόξων
καὶ αἱρετικῶν φρονήματα καὶ διδάγματα καὶ
φληναφήματα. Ὁ θεοειδὴς οὗτος καὶ
μέγας Ἐπιφάνιος, τὸ στόμα τῆς ἀληθείας, ἡ
σάλπιγξ τῶν ὀρθοδόξων δογμάτων, ἡ μάχαιρα, ἡ
τέμνουσα τὰ νόθα τῶν κακοδόξων διδάγματα,
διδάσκει καὶ παιδεύει ἡμᾶς ἀποστολικοῦ καὶ ἁγίου
βίου τὴν χρηστότητα, καὶ καθαρῶν καὶ ἀμωμήτων
ἠθῶν τὴν λαμπρότητα, ὡς πλήρης τῆς ἐλλάμψεως
καὶ ἐπιπνοίας τοῦ Παναγίου Πνεύματος.
Ὡσαύτως καὶ ὁ ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Ἐλεήμων, ὁ
ἱερώτατος καὶ περίπυστος
πατριάρχης Ἀλεξανδρείας, ὁ πλημμυρέστατος
ποταμὸς τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης, ὁ, ὡς ἄλλος Νεῖλος
ποταμός, πλημμυρῶν καὶ ποτίζων διὰ τῶν ἀενάων
ῥείθρων τοῦ ἐλέους τὰς αὐχμώσας ἐν διπλῇ ἀπορίᾳ
ψυχὰς καὶ καρδίας καὶ σώματα, περιφανῶς ἀνέχει
ἐν τῷ χορῷ τῶν Κυπρίων ἁγίων. Οὗτος ὁ μακάριος,
ὡς ἄλλος τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης ποταμός, ἐξ Ἐδὲμ
προερχόμενος, πελαγίζει εἰς πάντα τὰ πέρατα τοῦ
ἀφθόνου ἐλέους καὶ τῶν θεϊκῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τὰ
γλυκύῤῥοα νάματα, ὡς μιμητὴς καὶ μαθητὴς τοῦ
φιλοικτίρμονος ἡμῶν Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ.
Ἰδοὺ καὶ πάλιν ὁ θεοφόρος καὶ Ἔγκλειστος
ὅσιος Νεόφυτος, ὁ ἰσάγγελος τῇ πολιτείᾳ καὶ μέγας
τῇ φρονήσει καὶ συνέσει, ἀφ’ ὕψους τῆς ἱερᾶς
αὐτοῦ Ἐγκλείστρας ἐμφανίζει εἰς πάντας, ὡς ἐξ
ἀδύτων ἐκφαινόμενος, καὶ διὰ τῆς ἀσκητικῆς
αὐτοῦ ἐμπειρίας, καὶ τοῦ λόγου τῆς χάριτος, καὶ
τῆς ἄνωθεν σοφίας διδάσκει ἡμᾶς τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ
ὁσίας ζωῆς τὰς ἐπιδόσεις, τὰς ἀναβάσεις, τὰς
πλουσίας ἀντιδόσεις, ἅς «ἐν μυστηρίῳ
κεκρυμμένῳ» καρποῦται ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὁ ἄρας τὸν
Σταυρὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἀκολουθῶν αὐτῷ «ἐν
ὁσιότητι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ».
Τί δὲ εἴπωμεν ἐν ἐπαναλήψει περὶ τῶν χαρίτων
καὶ ἀπὸ Θεοῦ δωρημάτων τῶν ἄλλων ἁγίων, ἢ
μᾶλλον ἀναριθμήτων ἁγίων, τῆς ἁγιωτάτης ἐν
Κύπρῳ Ἐκκλησίας; Ἰδιαιτέρως ἐπέβλεψεν
ἐπ’ αὐτὴν ὁ Κύριος καὶ ἐξαπέστειλε τὸ θεῖον αὐτοῦ
ἔλεος διὰ τῶν ἁγίων αὐτοῦ κατὰ διαφόρους
καιροὺς καὶ διαφόρους τρόπους κατὰ τὰ
ἀνεξιχνίαστα κρίματα τῆς ἀγαθότητος αὐτοῦ.
Δίκαιον εἶναι νὰ ἀναφωνήσωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐνταῦθα
μετὰ τοῦ οὐρανοβάμονος Παύλου : « Ὦ βάθος
πλούτου καὶ σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως Θεοῦ · ὡς
ἀνεξερεύνητα τὰ κρίματα Αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστοι
αἱ ὁδοὶ Αὐτοῦ. Τίς γὰρ ἔγνω νοῦν Κυρίου ; ἢ τίς
σύμβουλος Αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο ; ἢ τίς προέδωκεν Αὐτῷ
καὶ ἀνταποδοθήσεται Αὐτῷ; ὅτι ἐξ Αὐτοῦ καὶ
δι’ Αὐτοῦ τὰ πάντα. Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας,
ἀμήν» (Ρ. 11: 3336).

Ἐκ τῆς θεοσυλλέκτου πληθύος τῶν ἁγίων τῆς

Κύπρου συνελέξαμεν ὀλίγα ὀνόματα, τὰ δὲ ἄλλα,
τὰ πλεῖστα καὶ περισσότερα, εὑρίσκονται
τεθησαυρισμένα εἰς τὰ Συναξάρια τῆς ἁγίας
ἡμῶν Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ ὅλως ἰδιαιτέρως εἰς τὰ
τοιαῦτα τῆς ἐν Κύπρῳ ἁγίας Ἐκκλησίας, ἔνθα ὁ
εὐσεβὴς ἀναγνώστης θὰ εὕρῃ θαυμαστὰ ἆθλα καὶ
τρόπαια ἁγίων μαρτύρων · ἀπαραμίλλους
εὐαγγελικὰς πράξεις ἁγιωτάτων καὶ θεηγόρων
ἱεραρχῶν · καὶ ἀσκητικὰ κατορθώματα,
καταπλήττοντα πᾶσαν ἀκοήν, ὁσίων καὶ θεοφόρων
πατέρων καὶ ἀσκητῶν. Οἵτινες, ὅλοι ὁμοῦ, «ἐν
ἰδίοις ἕκαστος καιροῖς», ἐλάμπρυναν καὶ
ἐκόσμησαν καὶ ἐφαίδρυναν τὴν ἐν Κύπρῳ
ἁγίαν Ἐκκλησίαν, ἥτις ἐν πνευματικῇ χαρᾷ
ὁμοφρόνως μεθ’ ἡμῶν βοᾷ :

Χαίρετε, ἀπόστολοι, μάρτυρες καὶ ἱεράρχαι,

ὅσιοι καὶ ἀσκηταί, γνωστοὶ καὶ ἀνώνυμοι, οἱ
κατὰ διαφόρους καιροὺς καὶ χρόνους ἐν Κύπρῳ
διαλάμψαντες, καὶ ποικιλοτρόπως
εὐεργετήσαντες τῶν εὐσεβῶν τὰ πληρώματα.
Χαίρετε, μάρτυρες θεοδόξαστοι, οἱ τὴν καλὴν
ὁμολογίαν ἀπτοήτῳ στόματι ὁμολογήσαντες,
καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς
Σωτῆρος προθύμως σφαγιασθέντες καὶ διὰ τοῦ
αἵματος τὴν Κυπρίαν χθόναν ἁγιάσαντες.

Χαίρετε, παμμακάριστοι καὶ θεοφόροι ἱεράρχαι,

οἱ διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Παναγίου Πνεύματος καὶ
τοῦ ὑποδείγματος τῆς ἁγίας ζωῆς ὑμῶν, καλῶς
καὶ σοφῶς ποιμάναντες καὶ κυβερνήσαντες τὴν
ἐν Κύπρῳ ἁγιωτάτην τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησίαν,
καὶ παρ’ αὐτοῦ πλουσίας ἀμοιβὰς δεξάμενοι.

Χαίρετε, ὅσιοι πατέρες καὶ θεοφόροι ἀσκηταί,

«οἱ ἐν ὄρεσι καὶ σπηλαίοις καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς» τῆς
Κυπρίας γῆς ἀσκητικῶς καὶ ὑπερφυῶς
ἀγωνισάμενοι, καὶ μυρίων χαρίτων καὶ τιμῶν
καὶ δωρεῶν ἀξιωθέντες, καὶ ταῖς τῶν Ἀγγέλων
συναφθέντες τάξεσι.
Χαίρετε, πάντες οἱ ἀνώνυμοι, ὧν τὰ ὀνόματα
ἐπίσταται μόνος ὁ Κύριος τῆς δόξης, ὡς
γεγραμμένα ἐν βίβλῳ ζωῆς, οἱ πολυτρόπως ἐν
Κύπρῳ διαπρέψαντες καὶ πολυειδέσι χαρίσμασι
παρὰ Θεοῦ δοξασθέντες, ὡς αὐτοῦ ἐνθεώτατοι
 μύσται καὶ θεράποντες.

Ἀλλ’, ὦ μακαριωτάτη πληθὺς καὶ ἁγιόλεκτον ἱερὸν

συνάθροισμα τῶν ἐν Κύπρῳ διαλαμψάντων ἁγίων,
οἱ ἐν τῇ ἐν οὐρανοῖς θριαμβευούσῃ Ἐκκλησίᾳ
συναγαλλόμενοι, καὶ μετοχῇ θείᾳ θεουργικῶς
λαμπόμενοι καὶ θεούμενοι, δέξασθε εὐμενῶς τὸ
παρὸν ἡμῶν ἐφύμνιον καὶ πρεσβεύσατε πρὸς
Κύριον, ἵνα παρέχῃ ἡμῖν ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ
ἀπαλλάξῃ τὴν ἐκλεκτὴν ἡμῶν μερίδα, τοὐτέστι τὴν
μεγαλόνησον Κύπρον, τῆς ἐπελθούσης μεγάλης
δοκιμασίας καὶ συμφορᾶς, ἀποδιώξῃ ἐξ αὐτῆς τὸν
κάκιστον τύραννον καὶ ἐπιδρομέα, καὶ ἀνατείλῃ εἰς
αὐτὴν ἡμέρας ἀγαθὰς «καὶ πλῆθος εἰρήνης» κατὰ
τὴν θείαν ῥῆσιν, ἀπηλλαγμένας συνεχῶν φόβων
καὶ θλίψεων ἵνα, ὡς καὶ πρότερον, ἐν ἐλευθερίᾳ
Χριστοῦ ἑορτάζῃ τὴν ἁγίαν μνήμην ὑμῶν καὶ
δοξάζῃ ὁμοφώνως Πατέρα, Υἱὸν καὶ Ἅγιον
Πνεῦμα, τὴν Μίαν Θεότητα, ᾗ πρέπει πᾶσα δόξα
τιμὴ καὶ προσκύνησις, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς
αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΣ ΑΘ. ΑΓΓΕΛΊΔΗΣ

Πρωτοψάλτης, Δάσκαλος της Ψαλτικῆς Τέχνης
Γεννήθηκε στὴν Τρίπολη τὸ 1964. Σπούδασε
Θεολογία στὴν Ἀνωτέρα Ἐκκλησιαστικὴ Σχολὴ
Ἀθηνῶν καὶ στὴ Θεολογικὴ Σχολὴ τοῦ
Πανεπιστημίου Ἀθηνῶν καὶ Βυζαντινὴ μουσικὴ μὲ
τὸν Κωνσταντῖνο Τασόπουλο (πτυχίο 1979) καὶ τὸν
Λυκοῦργο Ἀγγελόπουλο (δίπλωμα 1988). Μὲ
ὑποτροφία τοῦ Ἱδρύματος «Ἀλέξανδρος Ὠνάσης»
συμμετεῖχε ὡς ἐρευνητὴς στὸ πρόγραμμα μελέτης
καὶ ἀνάλυσης ἔργων τοῦ Βυζαντινοῦ μαΐστορα
Ἰωάννη Κουκουζέλη. Ἀπὸ τὸ 1981 ὑπηρετεῖ τὴν
ψαλτικὴ τέχνη, ἀπὸ τὸ 2014 εἶναι Πρωτοψάλτης
στοὺς Ἁγίους Ἀναργύρους, τὸ ἱστορικὸ Μετόχι
τοῦ Παναγίου Τάφου στὴν Ἀθήνα (Πλάκα).
Ἀπὸ τὸ 1988 διδάσκει βυζαντινὴ μουσικὴ σὲ
διάφορα σχολεῖα καὶ ἐκπαιδευτήρια, σὲ ὠδεῖα, σὲ
σχολὲς βυζαντινῆς μουσικῆς Ἱερῶν Μητροπόλεων,
σὲ Ἱερὲς Μονὲς καὶ Ἡσυχαστήρια.
Ἀπὸ τὸ 1994 ὣς τὸ 2005 ἀνέλαβε τὴν ὀργάνωση
καὶ διδασκαλία τοῦ Χοροῦ τῶν Πατέρων τῆς
Ι.Μ.Μ. Βατοπαιδίου τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους, τὸν ὁποῖο
διευθύνει στοὺς δεκατέσσερις ψηφιακοὺς δίσκους
(CDs) ποὺ ἐκδόθηκαν μὲ μέλη κλασικῶν
Βυζαντινῶν καὶ Βατοπαιδινῶν μελοποιῶν. Ἐπίσης,
τὸ 2005 διηύθυνε χορὸ ψαλτῶν γιὰ τὴν ἔκδοση
διπλοῦ ψηφιακοῦ δίσκου, σὲ συνεργασία μὲ τὴν
Ι.Μ. Χιλανδαρίου τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους.
Ἀπὸ τὸ 1996 διδάσκει στὴ Σχολὴ Βυζαντινῆς
Μουσικῆς τῆς Ἱερᾶς Ἀρχιεπισκοπῆς Ἀθηνῶν. Τὸ
2018 διευθύνει τὸν Βυζαντινὸ Χορὸ τῆς Σχολῆς
στὴν ἔκδοση τοῦ ψηφιακοῦ δίσκου Μεταξὺ
Ἀθηνῶν καὶ ἐσχάτων. Τὸ 2012 δίδαξε καὶ στὴν
Κύπρο, ἐνῶ ἀπὸ τὸ 2015 διδάσκει καὶ στὴ
Ρουμανία.
Ἀπὸ τὸ 1983 ὣς τὸ 2008, ὡς μέλος τῆς
Ἑλληνικῆς Βυζαντινῆς Χορωδίας μὲ διευθυντὴ τὸν
Λυκοῦργο Ἀγγελόπουλο, ἔχει συμμετάσχει σὲ
περισσότερες ἀπὸ 900 ἐκδηλώσεις στὴν Ἑλλάδα
καὶ σὲ 30 χῶρες σὲ Εὐρώπη, Ἀσία, Ἀμερικὴ καὶ
Ἀφρική. Ἀπὸ τὸ 1985 ὣς τὸ 2005 συνεργάστηκε
ὡς μουσικὸς παραγωγὸς μὲ τὴν Ἑλληνικὴ
Ραδιοφωνία, ἐνῶ ἀπὸ τὸ 2009 συνεργάζεται μὲ τὸν
Ραδιοφωνικὸ Σταθμὸ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς Ἑλλάδος
στὸν τομέα τῆς βυζαντινῆς μουσικῆς.
Στὰ τέλη τοῦ 2005 ἵδρυσε τὸ «Κέντρο Μελετῶν
Ψαλτικῆς Τέχνης» καὶ τὸν Βυζαντινὸ Χορὸ
ΤΡΟΠΟΣ, τὸν ὁποῖο διευθύνει σὲ λειτουργικὲς
ἐκδηλώσεις καὶ συναυλίες στὴν Ἑλλάδα καὶ 19
χῶρες τοῦ ἐξωτερικοῦ, καθὼς καὶ στὴν ἔκδοση 30
ψηφιακῶν δίσκων μὲ κλασικὰ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνέκδοτα
ἔργα Βυζαντινῶν καὶ νεότερων Ἁγιορειτῶν καὶ
Πολιτῶν μελουργῶν.
ΒΥΖΑΝΤΙΝΟΣ ΧΟΡΟΣ «ΤΡΟΠΟΣ»
Κέντρο Μελετῶν Ψαλτικῆς Τέχνης

Ἱδρύθηκε ἀπὸ τὸν Κωνσταντῖνο Ἀγγελίδη καὶ τοὺς

συνεργάτες του στὰ τέλη τοῦ 2005, μὲ σκοπὸ τὴ
μελέτη καὶ τὴν προβολὴ τῆς βυζαντινῆς μουσικῆς,
τῆς κλασικῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς μουσικῆς μὲ ἱστορία
αἰώνων.
Ἡ βίωση τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς ἐμπειρίας, τὸ
φιλακόλουθο πνεῦμα, ἡ ἀναβάπτιση τῶν
ψαλτηρίων μὲ τὸ ἦθος καὶ τὸ ὕφος τῆς «μουσικῆς
τῶν ἀγγέλων», ἡ ἀγάπη στὴν καθ’ ἡμᾶς μουσικὴ
καὶ ἡ ἐπιστημονικὴ προσέγγιση μιᾶς πληθώρας
συνθέσεων ἐπωνύμων μελοποιῶν τῆς βυζαντινῆς
καὶ μεταβυζαντινῆς περιόδου ἀπὸ τὴν ψαλτικὴ
παράδοση τῆς Μεγάλης Ἐκκλησίας καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου
Ὄρους ἀποτελοῦν πηγὴ ἔμπνευσης καὶ μαθητείας.
Ἔχει ἐμφανιστεῖ στὸ Ὠδεῖο Ἡρώδου τοῦ
Ἀττικοῦ στὸ πλαίσιο τοῦ Φεστιβὰλ Ἀθηνῶν καὶ
Ἐπιδαύρου, στὴν Ἐθνικὴ Λυρικὴ Σκηνή, στὸ
Μέγαρο Μουσικῆς Ἀθηνῶν (ἕξι συναυλίες, σὲ
συνεργασία μὲ τὰ Μουσικὰ Σύνολα τῆς ΕΡΤ κ.ἄ.),
καθὼς καὶ σὲ διάφορες πόλεις τῆς Ἑλλάδας.
Ξεχωριστὲς ἦταν οἱ συνεργασίες μὲ τὸν
ἀρχιμουσικὸ Julien Jâlal Eddine Weiss καὶ τὸ
Μουσικὸ Σύνολο «Ensemble AlKindi», τὸν Kudsi
Erguner, πρεσβευτὴ τῆς UNESCO γιὰ τὴν τέχνη,
μὲ σύνολο Τούρκων ἑρμηνευτῶν θρησκευτικῆς
μουσικῆς, καθὼς καὶ τὸν Σωκράτη Σινόπουλο.
Ἐπίσης ἔχει συμμετάσχει σὲ λατρευτικὲς
ἐκδηλώσεις μὲ τὸν Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριάρχη κ.κ.
Βαρθολομαῖο, τὸν Πατριάρχη Ἱεροσολύμων κ.κ.
Θεόφιλο, τὸν Πατριάρχη Μόσχας κ.κ. Κύριλλο,
τὸν Ἀρχιεπίσκοπο Κύπρου κ. Χρυσόστομο, τὸν
Ἀρχιεπίσκοπο Ἀθηνῶν καὶ πάσης Ἑλλάδος κ.
Ἱερώνυμο καὶ τὸν Ἀρχιεπίσκοπο Σινᾶ κ. Δαμιανό,
σὲ πολύωρες ἀγρυπνίες στὶς ἱερὲς μονὲς τοῦ Ἁγίου
Ὄρους: Βατοπαιδίου, Σίμωνος Πέτρας, Δοχειαρίου
καὶ Ξενοφῶντος.
Στὰ 16 χρόνια τῆς δραστηριότητάς του ἔχει
μεταφέρει σὲ 19 χῶρες τοῦ ἐξωτερικοῦ τὸν
ἑλληνικὸ μουσικό μας πολιτισμό, τὴν ψαλτικὴ
τέχνη, μιὰ μουσικὴ τέχνη μὲ πνευματικότητα ποὺ
τὴν κάνει νὰ ξεχωρίζει καὶ νὰ συγκινεῖ, μὲ
ταυτότητα ἑλληνική, μιὰ ἰδιαίτερη ἀξία γιὰ τὸ
παγκόσμιο μουσικὸ γίγνεσθαι.
Ἔχει ἐκδώσει σειρὰ 30 ψηφιακῶν δίσκων (CDs),
ποὺ ἀποτελοῦν σημεῖο ἀναφορᾶς στὴν παρουσίαση
μιᾶς πλούσιας κληρονομιᾶς κυρίως ἀνέκδοτων
ἔργων μεγάλων συνθετῶν ἀπὸ τὴν
Κωνσταντινούπολη καὶ τὸ Ἅγιον Ὄρος,
καλύπτοντας μιὰ περίοδο δημιουργίας ἀπὸ τὸν 13ο
αἰώνα μέχρι σήμερα.
ΣΥΝΤΕΛΕΣΤΈΣ
Ψάλλουν Ἀβραὰμ Ἐμμανουήλ, Ἀγγελόπουλος
Ἀντώνιος, Βλαχοθανάσης Χρῆστος, Γεωργαντώνης
Νικόλαος, Γραμματὴς π. Γεώργιος, Δροσινὸς
Ἀθανάσιος, Θεοδωρόπουλος Ἐμμανουήλ,
Καραγιάμπας Δημήτριος, Καρανάσης Ἀναστάσιος,
Κόκκινος Φωκίων, Κούγιας Ἀθανάσιος, Κώστα
Κυριακός, Λαζαρόπουλος Γεώργιος, Λεβάκος
Παντελεήμων, Μακρόπουλος Νικόλαος,
Μαλισιόβας Γεώργιος, Μανιάτης Δημήτριος, Μελὴς
Χρυσόστομος, Μηδᾶς Φώτιος, Muenabantu
Ζαχαρίας, Νέντας Δημήτριος, Νικολαΐδης Κοσμᾶς,
Νταβράζος Παναγιώτης, Παπακυριακοῦ
Παναγιώτης, Παπαχριστοδούλου π. Μαρῖνος,
Ροῦσσος Διονύσιος, Σάββας Γεώργιος, Στίνης
Ἐμμανουήλ, Σωτηρόπουλος Χρῆστος, Τερζάκης
Ἰωάννης, Τσέμπογλου Συμεών, Τρύφωνος
Κωνσταντῖνος, Χαβάτζας Ἐλευθέριος, Χάλαρης
Ἀντώνιος, Χάλαρης Κοσμᾶς, Χαρουτιουνιὰν Ἀράμ

Διευθύνει Κωνσταντῖνος Ἀθ. Ἀγγελίδης,

Πρωτοψάλτης καὶ Δάσκαλος τῆς Ψαλτικῆς Τέχνης

Ἠχογράφηση Νικόλαος Διονυσόπουλος, Ἰούλιος

2021 Ἱερὸς Ναὸς Ἁγίων Μυροφόρων, Παλλήνη
Ἀττικῆς
Φωτογραφίες στὶς σ. 56, 58, 118, 120: Ἀλέξανδρος
Μποτονάκης . στὶς σ. 8, 12, 14, 24, 28, 40, 70, 75,
79, 83, 90, 102, 110, 117, 128: Κωνσταντῖνος
Χαραλάμπους α στὶς σ. 27, 37, 89, 99: Εὐδόκιος
Δημητρίου α στὴ σ. 48: Ἠλίας Λάμπρου
Προέλευση εἰκόνων Λεύκωμα Ἐς Κύπρον τῶν
Δημήτρη Ταλιάνη καὶ Κώστα Σερέζη, ἐκδόσεις
Τοπίο, 1994 (σ. 17, 18, 55, 72, 80, 86) . Cyprus
A civilization plundered, ἔκδοση Ἑλληνικῆς
Βουλῆς, 1998 (σ. 3, 10, 21, 34, 65, 96).
Γλωσσικὴ ἐπιμέλεια Βασιλικὴ Σχίζα
Καλλιτεχνικὸς σχεδιασμός Ἄννα Κατσουλάκη
Παραγωγή Γραφικὲς Τέχνες ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΙΣ Α.Ε.

English Edition

Βημόθυρο τοῦ Καθολικοῦ,

Μονή Παναγίας τῆς Καντάρας
17ος αἰ.
Bemadoor of the Catholicon. Monastery of Our
Lady of Kantara. 17th c.

©
2021 “TROPOS” BYZANTINE CHOIR:
CENTRE FOR THE STUDΥ OF THE
PSALTIC ART

Aiolis Pikermi, 190 09

P.O. Box 1410 Greece
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“TROPOS” BYZANTINE CHOIR
CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF THE PSALTIC ART

ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD
Photios Medas President
Antonios Chalaris Vice President
Demetrios Nentas Secretary
Constantinos Moutaphis Treasurer
Emmanuel Avraam Team Manager
Constantinos Tryphonos Member
Georgios Savvas Member

HONORARY MEMBERS
Christos Zerefos Academician, Supervisor of the Research Centre for Atmospheric Physics and Climatology,
Academy of Athens
Michael Meraklis Professor Emeritus of Folklore Studies, University of Athens
Panteleimon Paschos Professor Emeritus at the Faculty of Theology, University of Athens
Ioannis Tsegos Psychiatrist, President of the Open Psychotherapy Centre
Demetrios Chatziapostolou Painter
Kriton Chryssochoidis Director Emeritus of Research, Institute for Historical Research, National Hellenic Research Foundation
SAINTS OF CYPRUS

Chants by
the TROPOS Byzantine Choir

Choirmaster
CONSTANTINOS ATH. ANGELIDIS
Protopsaltes and Master
of the Psaltic Art

ATHENS 2021
Passing through the spiritual gate
of the Church of Cyprus you will encounter
“various blooms to see, fragrances to smell, unwilted by time and all dyed the red color
of blood  . . .”

Thanks
to the Very Reverend Archimandrite Ephraim, Abbot of the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopaidion; to hieromonk Theophanes of
Vatopaidion for the musical setting of the texts; and to Constantinos Tryphonos for his musical contribution.

Dedicated
to Nicolas I. Hadjiyiannis (19172019), born in Akaki, Cyprus, who served the Psaltic Art for 90 years. A student of Theodoulos Callinicos (19042004),
Protopsaltes of the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus, with whom they published ecclesiastical chantbooks.
Contents

73 Greetings
His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostom of Cyprus
81 Cyprus the Sweet Country and Holy Island
Archimandrite Georgios Christodoulos
92 Chanted melodies
97 Panegyric Word for All the Saints in Cyprus
Monk Gerasimos of the Little St. Anne's Scete (Micragiannanites)
118 Constantinos Ath. Angelidis
121 The TROPOS Byzantine Choir
123 Credits
Greetings

With particular pleasure we greet the release of the compact disc “The Saints of Cyprus” from the excellent “ TROPOS Byzantine Choir” and
the “Centre for the Study of the Psaltic Art.”
The Ecclesiastic Psaltic Art ― which the contributors to the compact disc so excellently serve ― together with the rest of the
ecclesiastic arts make up the aesthetic elements, which contribute beneficially to man’s effort to ascend toward God and eucharistically
unite with Him. They lift up the soul of man from the material world to the spiritual, from the earthly to the heavenly with an aim to unite
his entire “being” with the living God and to emerge holy.
Whether through confession and martyrdom, or through the blessedness of a life, the countless saints of Cyprus attained this union
with the true God, a holiness in experiential living and a renewal of man in Christ, a continual creative revelation. Our medieval
commentator Lentios Machaeras writes :

“I need to start to say to start to praise  . . . my allwondrous island, my holy island that’s got lots of bishops and Saintly bodies
and they do huge miraculous miracles. and if I could say so for all my life it wouldn’t be enough.”

Truly the list of saints in Cyprus who pleased God with the saintliness of their lives, by teaching or by witnessing is very long. They were
formally recorded to be around 240. In this large number, compared with other local Churches, there is a variety. There is a variety as to
the classes of saints (men / women, apostles, martyrs, Fathers of the Church, blessed ones, new martyrs), as to the season of their bloom
but also as to their origin. In every situation they all constituted and continue to this day to form the boast and mainly the support of the
Christians of Cyprus as we go through daily spiritual and heathenous temptations and difficulties.
The present compact disc issue, which includes hymns from the service of all the Saints aglow in Cyprus, does serve the need to
mark and honor the Saints of Cyprus, but also the above support and reinforcement for us all in these difficult times.
It would be an omission if we did not mention also the Holy Stavrovounion Monastery’s initiative and that of its Abbot, the Elder
Athanasios of blessed memory, who about three decades ago published the first service, erected the first chapel and painted the first icon
of the Saints of Cyprus.
The compact disc “The Saints of Cyprus” is published thanks to the generous grant of Mr. Charalambos Mylonas and as a form of
memorial for the protopsaltes Nicolas I. Hadjiyiannis of blessed memory, who served at the cantor’s station of the community of Acacius
for ninety consecutive years, until his falling asleep at 102 years of age in 2019. In his countenance, of course, are honored also those who
for ages have served this sacred art on our island, starting with its great teachers and creators, and unto the cantors of even our smallest
church community, who humbly stood and continue to stand at the cantor’s station, fulfilling the word of the prophet David : “I will praise
the Lord in my life, I will chant to my God as long as I have my being.” (Psalm 103 : 33)
With these thoughts, we congratulate the Choirmaster Mr. Constantinos Angelidis, the choristers of “ TROPOS,” the worthy and pious
benefactor and all the contributors to this important endeavor, praying from the depth of our heart that the Service of The Saints of Cyprus
be chanted glorifyingly and freely to all the churches of our freefromoccupation Country.

The Intercessor to the Lord

His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostom of Cyprus

CHRYSOSTOM OF CYPRUS
Cyprus the Sweet Country and Holy Island

When we speak about a book of saints we mean drawing together sources about the life and the conduct of a saint. If bio  logy comprises
the science of life, biography is the story of a life. The “bio” of a saint is composed within but also beyond the conventions of a
physiological life : name, build, height, era etc. For this reason, in icons saints are portrayed garbed in the garments of this world, of their
culture. That which counts in a book of saints, or that which makes a Saint, is not his life, but his conduct.
Conduct is the personal method a saint exercises in order to attain sainthood. Different, then, are the conducts of Saint Symeon the
Stylite, or Saint Andrew the Fool for Christ, or the Blessed Neophytus of the Cloister. Life and conduct are a sober relationship between
history and eschatology. Saints are not categorized as great and minor. Of course in Hagiological listings ( typica, calendars, etc. ― works
of people), they are characterized according to their life and conduct. The same is true for Saints as for churches. There are cathedrals
which surpass royal palaces in their marble and gold. There are also churches as cheap as a hut. Christ is equally present in every
cathedral or hut. Beyond the known Saints there are the anonymous saints also. Hidden in anonymity there are likewise great ones, whose
saintliness only God knows. Could it be that the Saints’ desire was not that they should pass unnoticed in this world ?
For ages Cyprus has provided Saints, inhabitants of heaven. Our common holy land, whence we should flatter ourselves we drink
water from the same founts that also quenched our Saints, whence we breathe in not only the same air of our trees, but also the
atmosphere of their prayers. We go through the same dark of night and we enjoy the same light of sunrise. This is the atmosphere that
plays an important role in the development of the spiritual life. Entering Cyprus then, into such an atmosphere, with great confidence we
can hope into paradise!
The AllHoly Mother of God, the Angels, and Heaven itself approach us. They descend and they walk on our land as our own. The
grace of the Holy Mother’s icon (of Kykkos) is here, as the power, the mouth, and the voice of the Mother of God. When he painted the
icon, the evangelist Luke showed it to the Mother of God and, once she took it up in her hands, the Mother of God said, “May the grace of
Him born from me be with this icon.” It’s not a matter of a religious painting nor of some creative art, nor do we have archeological and
scientific historical evidence to prove whether the evangelist Luke actually painted this icon. However, we are certain that evidence is
only of use for matters which one doubts. We have copies, then, of this All Holy Mother of God in our churches and we call on her
unceasingly in our prayers.
The Cypriots’ golden page of the gospel is written in the 13th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. The return to the island of the
Apostles Barnabas and Paul, the clash of Paul and the Jewish false prophet Barjesus officially shattered the relevance of the Judaic
opinion of Christians while adherence to Christianity by Roman officials at the outset solemnized the spreading of the evangelical word to
the nations. The proconsul of the island Sergios  Paulos, a wise man, is baptized Christian, an event which obligates Saul to change his
name to Paul. The scene of the proconsul’s turning would serve as an archetype for the entry of heathens into the Church. In this way,
little Cyprus is turned into a gate through which the Lord brings the Gospel to the nations and, across the world, the disciples of Christ
receive the surname Christian.
The Church of Cyprus always considered it her obligation to publish the aforementioned liturgical texts and services in memory of her
saints. Included in the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus’s liturgical publication, Cyprus Menaia, are both services in use and others from ancient
manuscripts, and still others written by contemporary hymnographers. The liturgical use of the Cyprus Menaia does not distance itself from
panorthodox liturgical practice, which has its aim to serve liturgical unity and uniformity in the Church, without straying into localist
unilateralism.
The most ancient service text is found in the memorial of the Heliophotoi Saints. An exceptional and original liturgical text, it
belongs to the works of Sophronios and is only a little removed from the style of Romanos the Melodist. The Kontakion of the service, as
in the ancient custom, bears an acrostic, while a fixed meter governs the rhythmic scheme according to classical metric verse.
The text of the service to Saint Heracleidius Bishop of Tamassos claims an ancient manuscript tradition, which, besides the Greek, is
preserved in Armenian and Georgian manuscripts.
The service and synaxarion of the Venerable Paula of Rome present particular interest, being constituted in translation from the
Latin. The life of this Roman patrician shines light on the palaeochristian period of the Church of Cyprus, specifically concerning the
primitive monasticism of the island and the significant role which the high aristocracy of Abentinos Hill played in Old Rome with
representatives such as the Venerable Melane, Marcella and Paula.
Those new martyrs, in contrast to the new martyrs during the Turkish Rule, are tied to the early Arab Rule ― a new chapter for the
history of the Church of Cyprus : Constantine the Impulsive, Theophilus and Onesiphorus. In the service of Saint Therapon, the text
presents originals of the encomia to the hieromartyr, which most probably bear the signature of Saint Andrew of Crete who, when priest
at the Elaia promontory of Constantinople, received the relics of the hieromartyr from out of Cyprus.
Included also in the Cyprus Menaia are services of all the founders of the monasteries of Cyprus according to the ancient sources of
saved manuscripts, such as the services of the venerable ascetics : George the Chrysostomite, founder of the Chrysostom Monastery of
Koutzouvendis (11th c.); Eutychius, founder of the Priests’ Monastery in Paphos (4th c.); Neophytus of the Cloister, founder of the Holy
Cloister of Paphos (12th c.); Isaiah, founder of Kykkos Monastery (12th c.); Neophytus, Ignatius, Procopius and Neilos, founders of the
Theotocos of Machaira Monastery (12th c.).
The liturgical texts about the venerable Neophytus the Cloistered present particular importance for the ecclesiastic hymnography of
Cyprus. They fall into the familiar liturgical year as follows : a. September 28 : the finding of the relics of the Venerable One, in the presence
of Archimandrite Cyprianos ― the composer of the service according to the acrostics of the service of the venerable Symeon the Stylite :
“Ψυχοφθόρου ρῦσαι Βε λύΙης, ΠαΒΒάκαρ” (“Deliver me from souldestroying grief, AllBlessed One”), b. January 24 : the commemoration
of the sign from God, a composition of Neophytus the Cloistered and a canon set by his brother according to the flesh, John the
Chrysostomite, superior of the John Chrysostom Monastery of Koutzouvendis. This original service constitutes one of the most ancient
services in Cypriot hymnography.
Included among others in the Cyprus Menaia is the service of the new martyr Polydoros, a child of Nicosia, of whom the Blessed
Nicodemus the Athonite wrote. This service is included in the works of the representatives of the ecclesiastical enlightenment, that is, the
spiritual fathers Polydoros the new martyr, Nicephorus of Chios, Macarios Notaras.
The Church of Cyprus is and remains a precious asset. Its continuity through history, from the time of our Lord, through the
Apostles, Martyrs, and Saints resembles  . . . Spring in an imaginary Winter of tyrannical captivity. Passing through the spiritual gate of the
Church of Cyprus you will encounter “various blooms to see, fragrances to smell, unwilted by time and all dyed the red color of blood   . . .”
Together with this cloud of Saints across the sea, let us also cry out to the Lord  : “O Lord, who planted these, at the intercessions of the
allpraised and noble martyr Barnabas the Apostle, make us also worthy of the eternal spring.”

Archimandrite GEORGIOS CHRISTODOULOS

Archsecretary of the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus
Chanted melodies

1. “Stichera Prosomoia (contra facta) from Great Vespers artistically set, according to the method and style of the late blessed monk Matthew of
Vatopaidion (†1849), who was originally from Ephesus.”
Melody by Hieromonk Theophanes of Vatopaidion (b. 1977).
Verses by: C. Angelidis, C. Tryphonos, D. Nentas, Em. Avraam.
First Mode.  7:29

2. Let us come together today and spiritually celebrate the ranks of Cypriots.
Doxasticon of Great Vespers. Melody by Hieromonk Theophanes
of Vatopaidion.
Plagal First Mode.  8:51

3. Be glad in the Lord, great island of Cyprus.

Idiomelon (throughcomposed) of the Lite (Entreaty). Melody by Hieromonk Theophanes of Vatopaidion.
First Mode.  2:57

4. The Godfitting festival of the Saints of Cyprus.

Doxasticon of the Lite. Melody by Hieromonk Theophanes of Vatopaidion. Sticheraric Fourth Mode.   7:50

5. “Prosomoia of the Aposticha, set artistically, according to the style

of the prosomoia of Matthew of Vatopaidion from Ephesus (†1849).”
The first to the melody by Hieromonk Theophanes of Vatopaidion in the slow eirmologic way ; the last two in the brief way to the
melody by Petros of Byzantium.
Soloists: C. Tryphonos, Chr. Meles, P. Papakyriakou.
Plagal First Mode Tetraphonon.  6:58

6. Completing the race of the life in Christ.

Glory at the Aposticha. Melody by Hieromonk Theophanes of Vatopaidion.
Plagal Second Mode.  7:21

7. Let us honor the Saints in Cyprus.

Dismissal hymn (Apolyticion) of the feast in brief and slow settings.
First Mode.  3:46

8. “Stichera Prosomoia at the Praises, the first in the slow way,

the last three briefly.”
The first to the melody of Hieromonk Theophanes of Vatopaidion,
the others to the melody of Petros of Byzantium.
Soloists: Fr. M. Papachristodoulou, Fr. G. Grammates,
D. Karagiabas, C. Costa.
Plagal Fourth Mode.  6:25

9. To the Church of Christ.

“Glory at the Praises.” Melody by Hieromonk Theophanes of Vatopaidion.
Plagal Fourth Mode.  6:50

10. Beatitudes
The 3rd and 6th odes of the canons of the feast of the Saints of Cyprus, in the First and Plagal Fourth Triphone Modes. Transcribed
according to the oral tradition of the Holy Mountain (Mt. Athos) by Constantinos Tryphonos (b. 1984).
Verses by: Fr. G. Grammates, C. Tryphonos, D. Nentas,
Fr. M. Papachristodoulou, C. Angelidis, P. Levakos, A. Karanasses, E. Chavatzas, P. Davrazos, I. Terzakes, A. Angelopoulos,
N. Georgantonis.  5:53

11. Megalynaria (Magnifications).

Transcribed according to the oral tradition of the Holy Mountain (Mt. Athos) by Constantinos Tryphonos.
Second Mode.  4:25
68:49
Panegyric Word for All the Saints in Cyprus
By the MONK GERASIMOS of the Little St. Anne's Scete (Micragiannanites)
Hymnographer of the Great Church of Christ

For me, O God, your friends have been greatly honored ;

their leaders made exceedingly mighty. I will number them, and they will be multiplied more than sand.
Psalm 138 : 17 – 18

The Great Island of Cyprus, which we should rightly name Saint  bearer and island of Saints, reveals to us, beloved brethren, a most sacred
multitude of Saints and a myriad  numbered community of wondrous servants of God. Through the ages it has shown forth holy Apostles,
victorious Martyrs, God  inspired Hierarchs and Shepherds, God  bearing Ascetics and blessed Hermits. In a word, a gathering of many and an
assemblage of known and anonymous Saints who, through different seasons and times and in various manners of saintly conduct and
virtuous life shone forth and pleased and praised the Lord of Glory, our Savior.
Who would not marvel at the innumerable and countless  named multitude of Saints in Cyprus ? Who can enumerate their virtues, their
achievements, their evangelical and holy deeds ? Who can hymn their miraculous acts and powers of healing, through which these blessed
ones in various ways benefitted the Church of God in Cyprus and throughout the world ?
Out of all corners and every point of Cyprus there appear God  bearing Saints and glorious attendants of Almighty God as luminous
torches ; pouring forth everywhere the light of the faith and the splendor of a holy and evangelical life, and all kinds of acts of many wonders
of all kinds in the care and salvation of every soul and in the glory of God, who glorifies through them, and glorifies them  : “for those that
glorify me, I shall glorify, says the Lord Almighty” ( 1 Kingdoms 2 : 30). These God  bearing Saints who shone forth in Cyprus – some
Martyrs, others Hierarchs and Monastics, both known and anonymous – heeding the voice of the Gospel, denied themselves and
unwaveringly followed Christ the Savior, and lived the holy and blessed life in him in many and various ways.
And to the unbelieving and tyrannical they professed the supremely  praised Name of the Lord, which is above every name, with fearless
boldness and a daring soul ; and for this beautiful confession they spilled their blood and were brought to the King of the ages, “as rational
sacrifices, as blameless holocausts and perfect offerings.”
The wondrous Hierarchs and Pastors, having received Apostolic grace, evangelically shepherded the replete people of the Lord, as
true shepherds and workers of divine glory, and genuine disciples of Christ the Archpastor. And finally, the venerable Fathers and
God  bearing Ascetics perfectly mortified their flesh, “together with their passions and desires,” as did the Apostle Paul, through extreme
discipline, and most intense self  control, and all the ascetic struggles and toils ; and became “outside the world and flesh” and, like that
same Saint, lived as without flesh, above the visible world. “And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith” and works,
and having been glorified by God “both with signs and wonders, with various powers and  gifts of the Holy Spirit” (Heb. 2 : 4), shone
throughout all of Cyprus and the whole of the Church of Christ as ever  shining stars of every virtue and work of the Gospel ; as beacons of
salvation, guiding to the harbor of repentance those that are storm  tossed in the sea of this vain world and in the works of sin, and, as pilots
and guides, securely piloting us through word and deeds towards the way of the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, “’till we all
come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to perfect manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ” (Eph. 4 : 13).

My meager mind is unable, my brethren and Fathers – or rather becomes dizzy – when, wandering in my descriptions, I attempt to praise
each one of the multitude of these Saints, and tell of the accomplishments of their blessed life and daily existence. They truly surpassed
human nature, lived above nature, and, filled with angelic gifts and graces, brought to perfection a whole Church, visible to all and inscribed
in the heavens ; and having received the delights of the veiled fruit of theosis, they completed the journey of their earthly lives.
And behold : as a great radiant star, the blessed Apostle Barnabas shines forth in the midst of the choir of the Saints of Cyprus. He was
Cypriot by birth, and followed the Apostle Paul to the disciples in Antioch, whom he also taught together with him. Later he became a
fellow companion with the Apostle Paul in preaching the Gospel. Coming finally to Cyprus, his native land, he preached the Savior Christ
according to the grace and wisdom granted to him. There he established and formed Christ’s holy Church, becoming her founder and
instructor and bridal leader “in word, in deed, and way of life,” and sealed his holy life with a martyric end, being stoned by the unbelieving
Judeans. And his sacred relics, found by Salamina of Cyprus under Emperor Zenon, were gradually transported along the Arabian highway,
to the Queen City of Constantinople.
Next after the Holy Apostle Barnabas, the Hierarch of the Church of Cyprus who is most worthy of the first in rank is Saint Lazarus,
the Friend of Christ dead four days, who, after his being wondrously resurrected from the grave, was established as shepherd of the
Church of Kition of Cyprus. His sacred relics were transported by the Emperor Leon the Wise to Constantinople, where they are specially
honored. However, both Arcadius and Nestor, Bishops of Trimithousa, and another Arcadius, Bishop of Arsinoe, were revealed as
wondrous among the Hierarchs of the Saints of Cyprus. Likewise Isaacius and Meletios, Mnason and Georgios, Gelasius and Triphyllius,
two named Demetrianus, and other great godlike and venerable and God   inspired Hierarchs and Shepherds illuminated, like brightly
shining stars, the holy Church of God in Cyprus. The divine Macarius, Bishop of Paphos, venerable and wise, was revealed as one of
these blessed and venerable Shepherds and Hierarchs, shepherded the people of the Lord “in reverence and righteousness,” and was
rightly deemed worthy of heavenly blessedness. And behold, another shepherd of Paphos shines as a newly revealed star, the divine
Panaretos, the rightly  named worker and manifest example of every virtue and humility, and a perfect likeness of the holy Hierarchs of
old.
But also Saint Gennadius, Archbishop of Constantinople, must be mentioned among the sacred choir of Saints of the great island of
Cyprus. This blessed man of God, as recounted by Saint Neophytus of the Cloister, being requested by the throne, was transferred to
Jerusalem, and coming to Cyprus with his companions, lost his way and, falling asleep to that sleep of the just and Holy in the island of
Cyprus, died in the unendurable frost.
What shall we say about the choir of the Holy Martyrs, Priest  Martyrs, and Ascetic Martyrs, and all the venerable Fathers and
Godbearing Ascetics – those who, time and again, featured prominently and sanctified this land through their holy struggles and toils, by
their many and varied virtues and accomplishments, through which they were richly glorified by the Lord ?
Time would fail me to recount all the names in detail and full number of so great a multitude of Saints, and of the excellent graces
and blessed works which these Holy people of God passed down and continue to pass down to the ranks of the Church ; those called
worthy of heaven, and who already stand with glory before the throne of the divine majesty of the Savior.
The Priest  Martyrs Heracleidius and Mnason featured prominently as pastors, struggled famously, and as spiritual athletes were brought
to Christ through fire as acceptable sacrifices and holy and perfect offerings : the one demands for us divine grace ; the other breathes forth
the myrrh of divine goodness on all.
Likewise, the wondrous Priest  Martyr Therapon, who wrestled bravely and threw down the opponent, heals souls and bodies through
his gift of grace from the ever  flowing spring, Christ the Savior.
Among the venerable Ascetics of the Church of Cyprus, the Venerable and Great Hilarion takes pride of place, known by all to be most
highly regarded among the Ascetic Saints. Likewise, the Venerable Neophytus of the Cloister, a divinely  taught Father and a Godbearing orator
of Christian philosophy and of the matters of eternal life, one who received the rich gift of teaching from the Holy Spirit, who makes wise the
unwise and teaches the illiterate heavenly wisdom. But also Georgios the Chozevite, who, fittingly named, greatly delved spiritually [Georgios
meaning “earthworker”] and brought forth rich fruits of eternal life in the renowned Monastery of Chozeva in Palestine. All who through tireless
ascetic toils and the angelic life were glorified as worthy of God, as heavenly mortals and earthly angels.
Also Theosevius the Arsinoite, who came from the village of Melandra of Paphos, the Saint of Saints, unparalleled in ascetic pains and
sweat of toils, struggled above and beyond all others while in his mortal body.
Likewise the Thirteen Ascetic Martyrs in Cantara, who with manliness of soul, unparalleled spirit, and divinely  filled mouths, put to
shame and held up to public scorn the novelties, heresies, and babblings of the heretical Latins, and suffered painful death through fire, now
magnified as Martyrs and Confessors of the Orthodox Faith and hymned as guardians of the right and pure dogmas and traditions of the
Church.
The graciously  named John of Lampadou (Lampada), who, as an ever-shining Lamp of grace, shines the brightness of faithfulness
and drives away the gloomy operations of the princes of darkness, and hands over to us grace and mercy through his intercessions, and
deliverance from the passions.
But how shall we worthily praise the excellence of Saint Tychon, the God  inspired shepherd and leader of Amathous, the banisher and
destroyer of unclean spirits ? This most sacred Father received riches of grace, and is shown to be great among the Saints of Cyprus. But
also Synesius of Karpassia, who with great discernment regarding his familiarity, shepherded his own flock, and heard from the Lord,
“Well done, good and faithful servant.” And Marcellus the Cypriot, the chief shepherd of Apameia in Syria, shepherding the rational
flock of the Lord according to the Gospel, courageously put to shame the deceit of the idols, and through fire suffered his martyric death.
And now, behold the tale of the Three Hundred Venerable and God bearing Fathers and Ascetics, who came from Palestine, and lived
their lives in the greatest places of the great island, and sanctified all the company of Cypriots through their most holy life  ; and through the
planting of their sacred relics, out of which there pours forth ever  flowing Grace and inexhaustible sanctification by the gift and
manifestation of the All  Holy Spirit. These are counted worthy of reverence and honor by the faithful Cypriots, and rightly so : for they
bestowed and continue to bestow benefits on all, and they make haste to help those that call upon them with faith.
Truly, how blessed is the great Saint  bearing island of Cyprus, that Isle of Saints, having such a great cloud of Holy Ones in accordance
with the Apostolic Voice, as Pillars of Piety, and types of a life of virtue, and examples of a pure and Evangelical way of life  ; as well as the
most radiant stars and luminaries of the holy and Orthodox Church, and well   tuned trumpets of an upstanding life and of holy and orthodox
traditions.
Such all  shining and surpassingly bright luminaries were the great Hierarchs : by which I mean Saint Spyridon, Saint Epiphanius, and
Saint John the Merciful.
And who does not know of the great, wondrous, globally  renowned, and most compassionate Saint Spyridon ? I daresay that the glory
and richest grace of only this one wondrous Father is enough to encompass all of Cyprus. He hastens everywhere, and grants swift
assistance to those who call on him. The wonderful life of this angelic Father is known everywhere, as well as each of his many miracles.
The Island of Kerkyra [Corfu], whose good fortune it is to possess the rich treasure of his incorrupt relics, serves as a far  reaching herald of
his fervent assistance and help of every kind for all who have need of it. His sacred relics, as is well known, were rescued out of Cyprus and
transferred to Constantinople (due to the Island’s being overrun by the Arabs), and were majestically honored in the Queen City  ; from there,
on that ill  fated 29th of May, as “the City fell,” they were transferred to Kerkyra by the priest Georgios Kalochairetis, being set up as a great
refuge and encouragement of the faithful there. It would have been sufficient to have only the bountifully   present and rich grace of the great
Father and wonder  worker Spyridon, the sound of whose miracles has gone out and spread throughout all the earth, whose swift and
immediate defense stands guard and speedily helps all those who flee to his protection and aid. I say again, it would have been sufficient –
the Grace granted by God to this renowned and exceedingly glorified offspring of Cyprus, the most sacred Spyridon – to confirm my words  ;
but together with him, we have also this whole cloud of Saints surrounding us, who clearly articulate and confirm most surely this spoken
truth.
But also the divine Epiphanius who, bearing such a name, was an epiphany “in word, and life, and wisdom,” living the Apostolic life
and having unparalleled zeal of piety ; he was shown to be a great Hierarch and champion of the Orthodox Church, excoriating and
conquering the arrogance, teachings, and foolery of the false  believing heretics. This great and godlike Epiphanius, this mouth of truth, this
trumpet of Orthodox dogmas, this sword which cuts the illegitimate bastard teachings of the false believers  : he teaches us and raises us in
the upright goodness of the holy and apostolic life, and in the brightness of pure and spotless character, being filled with the brightness and
inspiration of the All  Holy Spirit.
And likewise Saint John the Merciful, the most sacred and widely celebrated Patriarch of Alexandria, that flood  swelled river of
mercy in the choir of the Saints of Cyprus, who, like another Nile River, floods and waters every squalid and doubly   impassible soul,
heart, and body. This blessed one, like another river of mercy which comes out of Eden, floods the ends of the earth with the sweetly
flowing streams of his bountiful mercy and godly compassions, as an imitator and disciple of our compassion   loving God and Savior
Christ.
Behold, and again the God  bearing and Cloistered Venerable Neophytus, like an angel in his way of life and great in mind and
understanding : from the heights of his sacred Cloister he appears to all, shining out from the innermost sanctuary through his ascetic
practices, and through the word of grace and the wisdom from on high, he teaches us devotion, ascension, and rich blessings of the
venerable life in Christ, which bring forth fruit in the heart “in a hidden mystery” by the raising up of the Cross of Christ and by following
him “in holiness and truth.”
And what shall we repeatedly say concerning the graces granted by God to the other Saints, or rather, the countless Saints, of this
most holy Church of Cyprus ? The Lord has regarded her specially, and has sent her his divine grace through his Saints in different times
and ways according to the inscrutable judgments of his goodness. It is right for us also to raise our voices therein together with the
heaven  traversing Paul :

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor ?” “Or who has given him anything that he may be
repaid ?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Rom. 11: 33 – 36)
Of all the God  gathered multitude of the Saints of Cyprus we have featured only a few names, while many others, the most of them, are
found in the treasury of the Synaxaria of our holy Church, and especially in those of the holy Church of Cyprus, in which the faithful reader
may find wondrous works and triumphs of the holy Martyrs ; unparalleled evangelical acts of the most holy and God  inspired Hierarchs ; and
the ascetic achievements of the Venerable and God  bearing Fathers and Ascetics, which astound every ear. Who, all together, “each in his
own season,” shined, and adorned, and made bright the Church in Cyprus, which, united in spiritual joy, cries out with us :

Hail, O Apostles, Martyrs, and Hierarchs, Venerable Ones and Ascetics, both known and anonymous, who in different seasons
and times shined forth in Cyprus, and in various ways were benefactors of the multitudes of the faithful.

Hail, O Martyrs, glorified by God, who with fearless mouths confessed the good confession, and for the love of the our beloved
Savior were eagerly slaughtered, and through their blood sanctified the Cypriot land.

Hail, O all  blessed and God  bearing Hierarchs, who through the grace of the All  Holy Spirit and of the example of your holy life,
wisely and beautifully shepherded and governed the most holy Church of Christ in Cyprus, and received from him their rich
rewards.

Hail, O Venerable Fathers and God  bearing Ascetics, who struggled greatly and were counted worthy of myriads of graces, honors,
and gifts, and were joined together with the ranks of Angels.

Hail, all you anonymous ones, whose names only the God of glory knows, written in the book of life  : who in varied ways showed
forth eminently in Cyprus, glorified through every kind of grace from God, as his most godlike initiates and attendants.

But, O most blessed multitude and saintly  gathered divine assembly of Saints who shone forth in Cyprus, who rejoice together in the
triumphant Church in Heaven, and who by divine participation in godly works are illumined and deified  : accept graciously our present
refrain, and intercede with the Lord that he may grant us remission of sins and set free our chosen lot, that is, the great Island of Cyprus,
from the immense approaching trials and calamities, that he repel from her the most evil tyrant and massacre, and that he dawn good days
upon her, “a multitude of mercies” according to divine word, days liberated from constant fears and afflictions so that, as before, in the
freedom that is from Christ, she may celebrate your holy memory and glorify with one voice the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the One
Godhead, to whom are due all glory, honor, and worship, now and for ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
CONSTANTINOS ATH. ANGELIDIS
Protopsaltes, Master of the Psaltic Art

Constantinos Angelidis was born in the city of Tripoli, Greece, in 1964. He studied Theology at the Athens Higher Ecclesiastical School and
at the Faculty of Theology in the University of Athens. He also studied Byzantine Music with Constantinos Tassopoulos in 1979 and
Lycourgos Angelopoulos in 1988. He won a scholarship from the Alexandros Onassis Foundation and participated as a researcher in the
programme “Study and Analysis of the works of the Byzantine master Ioannes Koukouzeles.” Having served the psaltic art since 1981, he
became the Protopsaltes in the church of St Anargyri, Dependency (metochi) of the Holy Sepulchre Church in the district of Plaka in Athens
in 2014.
Since 1988, he has been teaching Byzantine Music in various educational institutions and schools, conservatoires and monasteries.
He organised and taught the Choir of the Fathers of the Vatopaidion Monastery on Mount Athos from 1994 to 2005. He has also been the
director in the fourteen CDs that have been released featuring chants by classical Byzantine and Vatopaidion composers. He has also
directed a choir of cantors for the recording of a double CD in collaboration with the Chilandarion Monastery on Mount Athos. He has been
teaching at the School of Byzantine Music of the Archbishopric of Athens since 1996. In 2008 he conducted the Byzantine Choir of the
aforementioned school for the recording of the CD Metaxy Athenon kai eschaton (From Athens to Eternity). In 2012 he taught Byzantine
music in Cyprus and he has been teaching in Romania since 2015. Being a member of the Hellenic Byzantine Choir which is directed by
Lycourgos Angelopoulos, he participated in more than 900 events in Greece and in 30 countries in Europe, Asia, America and Africa. He
worked as a music producer for the Hellenic Radio from 1985 to 2005, and since 2009 he has cooperated with the radio station of the
Church of Greece in matters of Byzantine music.
In late 2005, Constantinos Ath. Angelidis founded the Centre for the Study of the Psaltic Art and the TROPOS Byzantine Choir. He has
directed its concerts and participation in liturgical services in Greece and in nineteen other countries. He has also been the choirmaster in the
recording of 30 CDs presenting classic as well as unpublished works by Byzantine and more recent composers from Constantinople and
Mount Athos.
THE “TROPOS” BYZANTINE CHOIR
Centre for the Study of the Psaltic Art

The Choir was founded by Constantinos Ath. Angelidis and his associates in late 2005 with the aim to study and promote ageold Byzantine
music.
The source of our inspiration and discipleship has been the deepest understanding of the church experience, the devout attendance of
its services, the imbuing of our books of Psalms with the style and the spirit of “the music of angels,” the devotion to our own music, and
the scholarly approach to a wide range of compositions made by renowned composers of the Byzantine and postByzantine period, who
represent the chanting tradition of the Great Church and Mount Athos.
The Tropos Byzantine Choir has performed at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (performances organized by the Athens and Epidaurus
Festival), at the National Opera of Greece, at the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron), where it held seven concerts in collaboration with the
Music Ensembles of the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, as well as in other Greek cities.
Of utmost importance has been the cooperation with the musician Julien Jâlal Eddine Weiss and the AlKindi Ensemble, with Unesco
Artist for Peace Kudsi Erguner, with a number of Turkish singers of religious music, and with Socrates Sinopoulos as well.
The Choir has also participated in joint worship services with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios, Patriarch Theophilos of
Jerusalem, Patriarch Cyril of Moscow, Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus, Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, and
Archbishop Damianos of Sinai, in longlasting vigils at various monasteries of Mount Athos, such as the Vatopaidion Monastery, the
Docheiariou Monastery, the Simonos Petra Monastery and Xenophontos Monastery.
In its 16year long activity, the Choir has travelled to 19 countries bringing into the foreground the Greek music culture, the psaltic art,
a musical art that is instilled with distinctive spirituality that touches the human soul, defines the Greek identity and is invaluable to the
development of music worldwide.
The Choir has recorded 30 CDs which are a reference point for our rich musical heritage as they feature a rich body of unpublished works
by great composers from Constantinople and Mount Athos from the thirteenth century to the present.
CREDITS
Chants Angelopoulos Antonios, Avraam Emmanouel, Chalares Antonios, Chalares Cosmas, Chavatzas Eleutherios, Costa Cyriacos, Cougias Athanassios,
Davrazos Panagiotes, Drossinos Athanasios, Georgantonis Nicolaos, Grammates Fr. Georgios, Harutyunyan Aram, Karagiabas Demetrios, Karanasses Anastassios,
Kokkinos Phokion, Lazaropoulos Georgios, Levakos Pantele£mon, Malissiovas Georgios, Makropoulos Nicolaos, Maniates Demetrios, Meles Chrysostomos, Midas
Fotios, Muenabantu Zacharias, Nentas Demetrios, Nikolaïdis Cosmas, Papachristodoulou Fr. Marinos, Papakyriakou Panagiotes, Roussos Dionyssios, Savvas
Georgios, Sotiropoulos Christos, Stines Emmanouel, Terzakes Ioannes, Theodoropoulos Emmanouil, Tryphonos Constantinos, Tsempoglou Symeon,
Vlachothanasses Christos
Choirmaster Constantinos Ath. Angelidis, Protopsaltes and Master of the Psaltic Art

Recording Nicolaos Dionysopoulos, July 2021 The Church of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women, Pallene, Attica
Photographs on pp. 56, 58, 118, 120: Alexandros Botonakis; on pp. 8, 12, 14, 24, 28, 40, 70, 75, 79, 83, 90, 102, 110, 117, 128: Constantinos Charalambous; on pp.
27, 37, 89, 99: Eudocios Demetriou; on p. 48 Elias Lamprou

Image sources Ἐς ΚύΙρον album by Demetres Talianes and Costas Sereses, Topio publications, 1994 (pp. 17, 18, 55, 72, 80, 86); Cyprus A civilization plundered, a
Hellenic Parliament publication, 1998 (pp. 3, 10, 21, 34, 65, 96).
Translation pp. 7378: translated by Maria K. Boyer; pp. 8191: translated by Maria K. Boyer and John Michael Boyer; pp. 97116: translated by John Michael
Boyer
Translation Editing Georgios Savvas
Text Editing and Proofreading Vassiliki Schiza
Art direction Anna Katsoulaki
Production METROPOLIS Graphic Arts S.A.