The leader of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos II, urged senior clergy yesterday against slighting Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to the island next week.

Reportedly, several bishops have said they will not be present when the Pope visits the archbishopric in the capital Nicosia or attend any official engagements, even though the Cypriot church has welcomed the June 4-6 visit.

"There is democracy in the Church, there is freedom of speech and people can give their opinion, but they cannot do as they please," he told reporters in response to media reports of a divided clergy.

He said the Cypriot Church would welcome the Pope as a guest of the government and urged the faithful to do the same.

"The Holy Synod has decided and decisions by the Synod are obligatory. The Church is just but strict; whoever doesn't like it can stay in their own home. That's my opinion."

Archbishop Chrysostomos II criticised one of his own, influential Limassol Bishop Athanasios, for publicly opposing the Papal visit.

"At this moment it is he who has scandalised the people not the Pope."

Bishop Athanasios was quoted in the Phileleftheros newspaper as saying: "I think the Pope's visit to Cyprus will cause a lot of problems to the conscience of devout Christians. It would be better if he did not come because I believe we would benefit nothing from it."