St. Paul's relics may be sent to Paphos. The Archbishop of Cyprus will meet with the Pope.

Archbishop George of Cyprus announced a visit to the Vatican on October 19–21He is scheduled to meet with Pope Leo XIV and discuss, among other things, the transfer of the relic of St. Paul's head to Paphos. According to the Archbishop, this would be the first time the relic has left the Vatican.

The date of the relics' arrival in Cyprus has not yet been announced. Jerzy also wants to officially invite the Pope to the island in connection with the planned event. The visit to Rome is intended to precede further arrangements, and does not mean that the relics' transfer has already been scheduled for a specific date.

What will the Archbishop talk about in the Vatican?

In an interview with Phileleftheros, Archbishop George announced that during his meeting with Leo XIV, he intends to discuss the state of dialogue between the Orthodox Church in Cyprus and the Catholic Church. He also intends to raise the issue of the island's partition and seek the Pope's assistance in this matter.

Jerzy recalled that contacts with the Vatican had previously helped bring icons from abroad to Cyprus. During his stay in Rome, he is also scheduled to deliver a lecture at a university on the institutions of the Church of Cyprus.

A separate topic will be the planned transfer of St. Paul's relics to Paphos. The Archbishop describes this as the next step after his October visit. No details have yet been released regarding the date, location of the relics' display, or the program of the ceremony.

Why Paphos?

Paphos holds a special place in the narrative of the first missionary journey of St. Paul and St. Barnabas to Cyprus. Their stay in the city is linked to the story of their encounter with the Roman governor Sergius Paulus.

In Kato Paphos there is also St. Paul's Column, located near the historic church of Agia Kyriaki and the ruins of the Basilica of Chrysopolitissa. According to local tradition, the apostle was tied to a column and flogged. This is a religious tradition, not an event confirmed by research on the monument itself.

This place is also well known to Poles visiting Paphos. Catholic masses are celebrated in the Church of Agia Kyriaki, including those in Polish. The church serves various communities, so calling it simply a "Polish church" would be imprecise.

Will Pope Leo XIV come to Cyprus?

Archbishop Jerzy announced that during the talks will officially invite Leo XIV to the island. This is not yet confirmation of a papal visit. A possible visit would require acceptance of the invitation and announcement of the program by the Vatican.

Leo XIV's predecessors, Benedict XVI and Francis, had already visited Cyprus. Jerzy points out that the history of St. Paul's work makes the island an important destination for Catholic pilgrims as well.

The next confirmed step is the Archbishop's October trip to the Vatican. Only after the talks should more information be available about the relics of St. Paul, their possible arrival in Paphos, and a possible visit by the Pope.

Sources: Phileleftheros, Visit Cyprus, Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem