Tamasos bishop once listened to heavy metal, attended discos

Tamasos Bishop Isaias said on Wednesday during a Q&A session that he grew up listening to Iron Maiden and ACDC – frequenting the former Africana disco in Nicosia.

“Music is whatever you make of it, you mature through it – it develops you as a person, have you ever heard a rock ballad that hasn’t touched you?” he told an audience, in a clip posted by CityChannel.

The bishop spoke as part of his campaign to become the new archbishop, being one of six candidates – at a time when the role of the church in society is being hotly debated.

A member of the audience asked the bishop whether it is correct for a person to listen to rock music – having been previously been told by other priests that the genre is “un-Christian” – and what is the church’s role is on cultural issues more broadly.

“Well, you’re speaking with a person who grew up listening to Iron Maiden, ACDC and was a regular at Amanda’s [another disco club] and Africana – and I am now the bishop of Tamasos,” he replied.

“I don’t believe this negatively impacted me, art is art,” he added.

The bishop explained that art and music – along with other aspects of culture – is what each individual makes of it, adding that music can calm a person, and rock music can offer this as well: “I liked rock ballads.”

“Culture is a gift from god, which is expressed through people – through music, through art, through poetry, through theatre, so whatever the best of humanity has to offer is through culture,” the bishop emphasised.

He said these mediums allow people to communicate with one another, to worship nature, to respect it and honour it.

“So if we don’t realise that culture is the biggest ally of the church today, Christian culture is a part of this world, then I don’t know; maybe that’s why there’s a gap in understanding,” he said.

Culture on its own is no problem at all, it’s what we make of it, the bishop explained.

“Let’s say every time I listened to a rock song I also then smoked a bit of weed and drank two bottles of whisky – then started fights – then what’s at fault? The song or myself? It would be my fault for not keeping my emotions in check,” he said.

The bishoped added that there are many who listen to rock ballads and contemplate the lyrics and become a better person – there are others who cause trouble.

The candidates which are currently in the running for Sunday’s election are: Paphos bishop Georgios, Kyrenia bishop Chrysostomos, Limassol bishop Athanasios, Morphou bishop Neophytos, Constantia-Famagusta bishop Vasilios, and Tamasos bishop Isaias.