Christopher (Ciaccas)

He graduated from elementary school in Pelendri, continued his education at the gymnasium and lyceum of the city of Limassol . After completing secondary education in 1982, he served in the army ^[2] .

From 1984 to 1988 he studied at the theological faculty of the University of Athens ^[2] .

In 1990, it was held deacon’s, and in 1991 - the presbyter consecration with the elevation to the rank of archimandrite . Enrolled in the brotherhood of the Monastery of Our Lady of Trooditissa ^[2] .

From 1992 to 1995 he studied at the graduate school of Durham University , Great Britain, in the direction of pathology , where he defended his master's thesis on the topic “Orthodoxy and heresy according to the teachings of St. Epiphanius of Cyprus” ^[2] .

Since 1990, he has represented the Cypriot Orthodox Church at pan-Orthodox and international conferences on heresies and para-religions. Acted as Secretary of the Synodal Commission of the Cyprus Orthodox Church on heresies and parareligions.

He is the author of various books of pastoral, spiritual and anti-heretical content, among which is the unique in the Greek world “Encyclopedic Dictionary of Religions and Heresies, Near Christian, Near Religious Groups and Modern Ideological Trends” ^{[2] [3]} .

On May 22, 2007, by unanimous decision of the Holy Synod, he was elected the first choreographer of the newly formed Karpasian Episcopacy ^[4] .

On June 3 of the same year, in the church of Ιερό Ναό Παναγίας Ευαγγελιστρίας in Paluriotiss, his bishop consecration took place, led by the Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos II in the presence of representatives of the Cypriot state, other officials and numerous believers. Bishop Christopher became the Tenth member of the Holy Synod ^[5] .

In January 2012, the authorities of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus put Bishop Christopher on the black list, as a result of which he was deprived of the opportunity to visit his diocese, which is located in the northern (Turkish) part of the island. The de facto authorities stated that they did not recognize his title and that they “knew him well in connection with his past statements aimed at inciting hostility and hatred” ^[6] . This fact aroused the indignation of the Greek Cypriots, in connection with which the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus Erato Kozaku-Markullis appealed to the Armenian Cilician Catholicos Aram I with a request as the Primate of the Armenian Church in Cyprus and the moderator of the Central and Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches , as well as one of the founders of the Council of Middle Eastern Churches, condemn the violation of human rights in the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus ^[7] .

In July 2013, he participated in the celebrations on the occasion of the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia . On July 23, 2013, he participated in a meeting of the delegation of the Cypriot Orthodox Church with Patriarch Kirill, during which, “in view of the work for the benefit of the Holy Church and in connection with the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia,” he was awarded the Order of Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir 2nd degree ^{[8 ]} .

On September 6, 2015, in the ancient temple for the first time in 40 years, he worshiped at the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Gialus. The bishop addressed the believers with the following words: “Christ is Risen, my brothers, in our hearts and in our homeland!” ^[9] .