The annual in-person meeting of Diocesan Synod was held at the Lordos Hotel in Larnaca on 3-6 February, bringing together almost 100 participants—Synod members from across the Diocese and guests from around the world—to join in worship, reflection and discussion.
Synod opened with a Chrism Eucharist led by Bishop Sean. During the service, which included a clergy Renewal of Vows, the Reverend Dr David Jarratt was licensed as priest for the parish of Abu Dhabi.
The Synod theme was A hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11)—‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’
“We begin this Synod trusting in God’s good plans for our diocese,” said Bishop Sean—“our parishes, and our very lives.”
Delivering his Presidential Address, Bishop Sean referred to Synod as “an important instrument of our unity”, expressing his hope that it would be “a celebration of our common calling and friendship in Christ at this crossroads of the world.”
“Together as laity and clergy,” he said, “we must do the challenging but necessary work of discerning God’s vision together, and then, by God’s grace, aligning ourselves with this vision.
“In the longer term, my hopes are that Cyprus and the Gulf will be able to celebrate its unique identity within the Anglican Communion as a Middle Eastern and international diocese, and will come to be seen as a resource to the wider Church in interfaith, ecumenical, multiracial and multicultural practice and witness.”
As well as morning services, Synod participants shared in the joy of worship each evening with prayer before dinner, followed by compline. (Story continues below photos; click to enlarge image.)
The first Synod session opened with greetings from Archbishop Hosam Naoum, Primate of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.
Synod also heard from the Venerable Paul Feheley, Middle East Partnership Officer of the Episcopal Church of the US, who brought greetings from TEC Presiding Bishop the Most Reverend Sean Rowe. And he shared news of the Good Friday Offering, through which TEC offers generous support to the Diocese and wider Province.
In the evening, hotel management gathered to celebrate with Synod participants the 40th anniversary of Diocesan Synods held at the Lordos Hotel in Larnaca. As Canon Georgia Katsantonis reminded the audience in her look back over the years, the Diocese itself celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. And though she refused to name names, she suggested the occasion might once again be the scene for a bishop to dance on a table… (Story continues below photos.)
Day two of Synod began with a service of Eucharist led by the Very Reverend Richard Fermer, Dean of St Christopher’s Cathedral in Bahrain, with Bishop of Thika the Right Reverend Julius Wanyoike preaching.
Synod business opened with talks on two themes—Communion, Province and Diocese, by Canon John Holdsworth, and on Discerning God’s Call, by Bishop Sean. These were followed by a workshop on Mission in the Diocese, drawing on Matthew 28:19-20 and led by the Reverend MD Johnson, the Reverend George Vidiakin and the Reverend Jim Young.
The day included the first of a series of workshops on Gulf enhanced episcopal leadership, which opened with a presentation by the Reverend Dr John Aitchison—and on the ongoing Constitutional review process. There was also discussion of Diocesan finances, and meetings of the Houses of Clergy and Laity.
Bishop Sean provided an update on the Ras Morbat Clinic in Aden sent by clinic director Mansoor Yousuf, including a video of the interior of Christ Church. The bishop also updated Synod on the Diocesan Mothers’ Union, of which he is patron, proudly sporting an MU cap.
The Reverend John Attenborough reported on Mission to Seafarers operations in the Diocese and beyond, with the Reverend Franklin Isaac sharing news of its work in Bahrain. The Reverend Canon Faiz Jerjes provided insight into life at St George Baghdad—ably translated by Sinan Kakarash.
The Reverend Ken Gabbadon delivered a report by Lynette Oruc on the St Mark Famagusta Student Chaplaincy, while Manisha Cornelius addressed Synod on behalf of the Contingency Fund sub-committee. (Story continues below photos.)
On day three—the final day of Synod business—morning Eucharist was led by the Reverend Prem Mitra, parish priest at Holy Trinity Dubai, with Bishop James Magness preaching.
Bishop James is chair of the recently established American Friends of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf, which works to support the presence and ministry of Anglican congregations in the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf, and to raise awareness in the US about the importance of that presence and ministry (https://www.afdcg.org).
Later in the day, Synod heard from the Primate of the Province, the Most Reverend Hosam Naoum, who shared something of the experience of life in a time of war in his Diocese of Jerusalem—which, he said, would not have survived the past two years without the support of its friends around the world. Archbishop Hosam paid tribute to the work of the people of his Diocese, including the staff of Al Ahli hospital—frequently the only hospital serving northern Gaza.
He asked that Synod pray for the clergy of his Diocese—for their continued resilience and steadfastness; and, he said, “Please do hold me, my wife, Rafa, and our family in your prayers.”
The Right Reverend Julius Wanyoike, Bishop of Thika, presented news from the Cyprus and the Gulf companion diocese in Kenya, with Bishop Sean outlining plans for a revitalised three-way link—Bishop Mike of the Diocese of Exeter completing the trio via a video greeting. Synod participants also heard from UK Friends of the Diocese chair the Reverend Chris Butt; Foundation chair Michael Cole; and JMECA—the Jerusalem and the Middle East Church Association, represented by Canon Dr John Holdsworth, who shared a message from JMECA Trustee Canon Dr Clare Amos.
Two workshop sessions—on Gulf enhanced episcopal leadership and on the Constitutional review process—ended with a plenary session to share highlights of group discussions, joined via Zoom from Canada by Constitutional Review Committee adviser on canon law, Dr Harry Huskins. The results of House elections were also shared. (Story continues below photos.)
After morning prayer on the final day of Synod, participants made their way to Nicosia for a closing Eucharist at St Paul’s Cathedral led by Bishop Sean, with the Venerable Paul Feheley of TEC (The Episcopal Church of the US) preaching. TEC organises the Good Friday Offering, through which it generously provides financial support to the Diocese and wider Province. The retiring collection was for St Mark Famagusta.
Following a sandwich lunch in the Cathedral grounds, participants travelled around the Venetian walls of the Old City to the Orthodox Archbishopric and the Cathedral of St John.
The group then gathered at the Home for Cooperation in the buffer zone of the divided city. Here, participants learned something of the bitter history of the island—and of the space offered for the different communities of Cyprus to come together in conversation and friendship.
The experience provided an opportunity to reflect further on Archdeacon Paul’s sermon that morning, in which he referred to the Synod theme—A hope and a future.
“Those two words—hope and future—are indelibly written in my heart and soul and mind,” he said. “May they be central to your way of thinking, to your prayer life, and to our understanding of what God has called us to do and to be. Amen.”
