Nicosia, Cyprus - Newly elected Archbishop Chrysostomos II was enthroned Sunday as head of the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus in a ceremony that traces its roots back centuries.
Shouts of ``axios'' - Greek for ``worthy'' - reverberated inside the 17th century St. John Cathedral in Nicosia as Chrysostomos II stood on the steps of a gold-covered throne and took hold of an imperial scepter, a symbol of the Cyprus Archbishop.
He succeeds 79-year-old Chrysostomos I, who is reportedly suffering from Alzheimer's disease and has not been able to carry out his duties for several years.
St. Barnabas is believed to have founded the Church of Cyprus some 1900 years ago. It was declared self-governing at the Council of Ephesus in 431, known as the third Ecumenical Council.
At the time, Cyprus was part of the Christian Byzantine empire that ruled from Constantinople, latter-day Istanbul in Turkey, and many of its traditions have survived into the modern era.
During Sunday's ceremony, Chrysostomos was fitted with a red robe - a royal privilege handed down to Cypriot Archbishops by the Byzantine emperor Zeno almost 1600 years ago.
He then signed his name in red ink in the Code of the Archbishopry - a book covering the major events in the church's history - before he was presented with the imperial scepter by a member of the Holy Synod - the church's governing body.
His right to sign in red ink and hold a scepter, instead of an Episcopal staff, were also privileges conferred by Zeno in recognition of the church's self-governing status.
Surrounded by church emissaries, priests, and politicians, Chrysostomos II, 65, addressed the packed cathedral and said the church would continue to have a say in the Mediterranean island's reunification issue.
``The Church cannot consent in any way and under any circumstances to the acceptance of a solution that does not respect the human rights and basic freedoms of all of Cyprus' rightful inhabitants,'' said Chrysostomos, who was elected Nov. 5.
Cyprus has been divided between a Greek Cypriot south, representing the internationally recognized government, and a Turkish Cypriot north since 1974, when Turkey invaded following an abortive Athens-backed coup. The Turkish north is only recognized by Turkey.
The Church maintains a powerful influence among the 700,000 Greek Cypriots and plays a strong role in political issues.
While still a bishop, Chrysostomos had opposed a U.N.-brokered reunification plan that was eventually rejected by an overwhelming majority of Greek Cypriots in April 2004. Turkish Cypriots had approved the plan.
``Nothing divides us and our Turkish Cypriot compatriots; we lived in peace together for many years,'' Chrysostomos said. ``However, we are unimaginably annoyed by the illegal occupation, and are provoked by the brutal violation of our human rights by Turkey - the occupying force.''