Cyprus Church awaits His Holiness Pope Francis with joy, love and synodality

This interview is also available in Arabic.

Ahead of His Holiness Pope Francis' visit to Cyprus and Greece, 2-6 December, Cypriot priest Father Ibrahim Khita of Limassol spoke to Vatican News about how they are preparing for the papal visit.

By Robin Gomes

“We hope that we will have new life, a good life full of peace and full of love.”  Cypriot Maronite priest Father Ibrahim Khita made the comment, expressing what all the people of Cyprus expect from the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to them, December 2 to 4. 

From Cyprus, the Holy Father will proceed to Greece before flying back to Rome on December 6, in what is the 35th foreign apostolic visit of his pontificate. 

Father Khita, who is parish priest of St. Charbel Church in Limassol, some 88 kilometres southwest of the capital Nicosia, told Christine Seuss that they started the preparations 3 weeks after the announcement of the papal visit. 

Pope is coming for everyone

They have set up 3 committees with the Apostolic Nuncio and his charge d’affaires is heading the Coordination Committee that oversees the entire preparation.

Father Khita heads the Liturgical Committee, which is in charge of the Pope’s Mass at GSP Stadium in Nicosia on 3 December. The Media Committee, he said, is working hard and doing a good job. 

For the past week, all the committees have been working “day and night” to complete the preparations “with joy and love” in the spirit of synodality. 

Father Khita said they are trying to live this synodality together, not as separated Churches because Jesus is one and all are united in Him.  In this regard, the priest pointed out that His Holiness Pope Francis in his video message on Sunday to the people of Cyprus said that he was coming “not just to see the Catholics but to see the Catholics, the Orthodox, the migrants” and everyone.

As they are approaching the day of his arrival, they “need to be one in Jesus Christ”. The message of the Holy Father is for every Christian and human being to live a life of love and peace among the people. Cypriots hope that they will have a new and good life full of peace and love.

The Pope’s 5-day visit to the two Mediterranean countries includes stops in Nicosia, in Cyprus, the Greek capital, Athens and the Greek island of Lesbos, where he will visit refugees and migrants, as he did in 2016.

In the footsteps of the apostles

This will be the second visit by a Pope to Cyprus after that of Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

The logo of the Cyprus visit represents the map of the island, with Pope Francis and Saint Barnabas, the patron saint of the island and companion of Saint Paul, in the foreground. An olive branch and an ear of wheat tied together symbolize peace and fellowship. The theme of the trip is “Comforting each other in the faith” (1Th 5, 11), which recalls the meaning of the name of Saint Barnabas, “son of consolation” (cf. Act 4,36) …

This interview was originally published on Vatican News website. Please click here to read the full text.