Archbishop Sophronius III of Cyprus

Early Life and Education

Sophronius III (worldly Antony) was born on 27 April 1826 in the village of Prodromos, Cyprus, to Panagiotis John from Foini and Christina Michael. At a very early age, his family moved to the village of Foini, Limassol Province, where he would later be known as "Finier". He entered the Trooditissa Monastery at the age of seven, where he was taught the first letters by his uncle Skefkeeper Haralambo. There, he became a cadet monk and on 16 April 1842, at the age of sixteen, he was ordained as a priestly deacon by Metropolitan Pafos Charitonas in the Holy Monastery of Chrysorroyatissa.

Career

From 1843 to 1847, Sophronius served as a deacon in Attalia of Pisidia. In January 1847, he went to Smyrna (modern-day İzmir), where he served as a minister at the Greek Hospital, while attending the Evangelical School of Smyrna. After completing his studies, he moved to Athens in 1852.

Archbishop of Cyprus

In 1865, Sophronius was appointed as the Archbishop of New Justiniana and All Cyprus, a position he held until 1900. During his tenure, he played a significant role in the religious and political life of Cyprus.

Notes

* The exact dates of his birth and ordination are consistent across both sources.
* The village of Prodromos is mentioned as his place of birth in Source 1, while Source 2 mentions Foini as his birthplace. Given that his family moved to Foini at a young age, it's likely that both villages were associated with his early life.
* The spelling of his parents' names and the village of Foini are slightly different between the two sources. However, the information provided is consistent in terms of their relationship to Sophronius III.