Father Christodoulos Papagiannis has spoken about the loss of his 23-year-old son, Kyprianos, who died in the Tempi train disaster, describing the painful experiences he endured following his son’s death.
The priest recalled visiting the scene of the tragedy, where he witnessed wreckage, burned bodies and human remains. He questioned how rescuers could possibly recover his son from the destroyed train.
“I couldn’t pray when I was going through that,” he confessed, adding that it took him two years before he could fully confront the loss of his child.
Father Christodoulos revealed that, following the tragedy, he struggled with questions about why God had allowed the accident to happen. For approximately two months, he even experienced feelings of resentment towards Saint Marina.
He also described a personal experience that he considers a miracle, explaining that another priest had told him Saint Marina had protected Kyprianos’ body during the collision.
According to Father Christodoulos, receiving his son’s body intact, despite the devastating scenes he had witnessed at the crash site, brought him immense comfort.
Faith, forgiveness and finding comfort after loss
The priest placed particular emphasis on the power of faith, prayer and forgiveness, stressing that people experiencing bereavement need support above all else, rather than advice.
“To lose your child and still find comfort and light, only true faith can give you that,” he said.
Speaking about those who may bear responsibility for the tragedy, Father Christodoulos highlighted the importance of forgiveness.
He revealed that he continues to pray even for those accused in connection with the disaster, asking God to ensure that justice is served.
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