On the 14/5/2010 the H.E. the Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus hosted a luncheon for the Cypriot Members of the European Parliament.

Present were the MEPs John Kasoulides, Takis Hatzigeorgiou, Antigoni Papadopoulou and Koullis Mavronicolas. Mrs Eleni Theocharous and Mr Kyriacos Triantafyllides initially accepted the invitation, but finally did not attend due to their absence abroad.

H.E. the Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus had the opportunity to exchange thoughts and views with the Cypriot MEPs on various issues, especially on the forthcoming visit of His Holiness the Pope Benedict XVI to Cyprus. He aslo informed them that during his presence in Cyprus the Pontiff will deliver to the Patriarchs and Bishops of the Catholic Church in the Middle East the Istrumentum Laboris (the ‘working documents’) of the Special Assembly for the Middle East which will take place on 10-24 October in Rome on the topic: “The Catholic Church in the Middle East – Communion and Witness.”

The Cypriot MEPs showed a keen interest in the visit of the Holy Father to Cyprus and agreed on its importance for the island. Each one of them will contribute in his/her own way to this historic visit so that it may yield significant benefits for the Cypriot society.

Present were also the representatives of the Maronites and Latins in the House of Parliament, Mr Antonis Hadjiroussos and Mr Benito Mantovanni, the MP Mr Klavdios Mavrohanna and Fr. Umberto Barato, the Vicar General of the Latins in Cyprus.

 © http://www.maronitearcheparchy.org.cy/cgibin/hweb?-V=index&_FAA=1&-dindex.html&_VLANGUAGE=en - 18 may 2010