NICOSIA, CYPRUS - On Sunday, September 5, 2021, the Maronite Community of Cyprus welcomed His Excellency Selim Sfeir, new Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus, during an installation service held at Our Lady of Graces Cathedral. Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who is currently on a pastoral visit to the Latin Community of Cyprus, attended the ceremony as well as Mr. Photis Photiou, Presidential Commissioner of Humanitarian Affairs and Overseas Cypriots and Msgr. George Panamthundil, Chargé d'Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature.

The previous day, Archbishop Sfeir and some of his relatives from Lebanon were welcomed by a delegation that included Archbishop Youssef Soueif, representing His Beatitude Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai; H.E. Bishop Paul Rouhana, Maronite Patriarchal Vicar of Sarba; Fr. Hadi Daou, Fr. Dominique Helou, and Mr. Giannakis Moussa, the Representative of the Maronite Community in Cyprus. Also present to welcome the new archbishop was Patriarch Pizzaballa, his vicar Fr. Jerzy Kraj and several Religious Men and Women. 

Archbishop Sfeir was ordained priest on May 22, 1988, to serve the Patriarchal Vicariate of Sarba. From October 2020, he served as Patriarchal Administrator of the Maronite Archeparchy of Cyprus until his election and episcopal ordination as Archbishop of the same circumscription on June 19 and July 29, respectively.

Welcoming of Archbishop Sfeir at the Maronite Archeparchy of Cyprus