On Saturday, March 16, 2024, the Diocese of the Latin Patriarchate celebrated the episcopal ordination of the Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Cyprus, Fr. Bruno Varriano, during a festive Holy Mass celebrated by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, at the Filoxenia Conference Center in Nicosia, Cyprus.

The participants in the episcopal ordination alongside His Beatitude the Patriarch included  Master of ceremonies and Spiritual Assistant of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher Cardinal  Fortunato Frezza, and Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus  Salim Sfeir, along with a group of cardinals, bishops, priests and deacons, in the presence of the head of the Cypriot Orthodox Church, Georgios III, official delegations representing the Cypriot authorities, Christian religious delegations from various Churches, Islamic figures, as well as priests and nuns  from the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land to whom the new bishop belongs.

After reading verses from the Holy Bible about the call made by Lord Jesus Christ to serve others (Matthew 20: 25-28), the believers sang the hymn of the Holy Spirit. Then, Apostolic Nuncio  to Jordan and Cyprus Bishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso read the text of the apostolic letter in which Pope Francis names Fr. Bruno Varriano as  Bishop Elect of Astigi Patriarchal Vicar for Cyprus.

Patriarch Pizzaballa delivered a homily in which he noted that the apostolic ordination is a historic moment for the Latin Patriarchate and the Christian community in Cyprus whereby the last resident Latin bishop on the island died 340 years ago. He stressed that naming a new bishop for the Latin Church does not aim to take roles, but rather to provide pastoral services to the faithful whose number is increasing in a spirit of fellowship, cooperation, and respect with all cultures and religions in the island.

The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem called on the new bishop to dedicate himself to the service of the Latin Church, and that he must place all the challenges that he will face before the Lord. He also called on him to serve others as they are, following the model of the Good Shepherd, and to direct everyone to Lord Jesus Christ not to himself, pointing out that this service is based on the life of the incarnated Christ in the life of the community, the proclamation of the Gospel, and that he must give his life on daily bases to serve the holy people of God.

Then, the apostolic ordination procedure began through the imposition of hands and the prayer of ordination of His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa.