The testimony of Kyprianos Papaioannou’s father, a priest, Christodoulos, who was present in the Larissa courtroom where the case of the Tembi railway tragedy is being heard, along with his wife and the 23-year-old’s mother, Elder Georgia.
Nearly three and a half years after the tragedy of February 28, 2023, which claimed the lives of 57 people, Kyprianos’s father spoke about his son, their final moments together before he left to study in Thessaloniki, as well as the questions that continue to torment him regarding the circumstances of his death. The young man from Avgorou was one of the victims of the deadly train collision, leaving behind a family that was preparing to marry him off six months later.
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“He was the heart and joy of the family”
Speaking after the 40th session of the trial, Father Christodoulos Papaioannou described Kyprianos as a special child, cheerful and pure, who had set his life on a path full of dreams and hopes. As he noted, his son was a man of the Church, served in the LOK, and attended the Famagusta Music School.
Particularly moving was his account of their last meeting, shortly before Kyprianos left for Thessaloniki, where he was studying at the university.
“He told me that I was experiencing the happiest days of my life,” he said, describing the moments before the tragedy that forever changed his family’s life.
“We were planning his wedding in six months. Instead of marrying him off, we brought him back and held memorial services every six months,” she said poignantly.
The moving tribute to Kolokotronis
Kyprianou’s father also spoke of his son’s love for Greek history, noting that he had read the memoirs of Greek heroes and was fascinated by their stories. In fact, he recalled a conversation they had about Theodoros Kolokotronis and his forgiveness of the man who killed his brother.
“Father, what made an impression on this great military leader and freedom fighter was that he forgave his brother’s murderer in a very characteristic way, having his mother set the table and serve the murderer a meal,” were Kyprianou’s words, according to his father.
“To be a great person, one must have a heart like that,” the 23-year-old had said, with his father noting that his son himself possessed precisely that same magnanimity. “I don’t want any injustices to be committed in Kyprianos’s name,” he stressed, emphasizing that what he desires is for justice to assign responsibility where it belongs, without causing further injustices.
READ ALSO: “It was as if I could hear my son’s voice crying out, ‘Mom, Mom’”: What Elder Georgia said about Kyprianos at the Tembi trial
“To mourn someone, you have to know how they died”
At the same time, Father Christodoulos Papaioannou raised questions about the circumstances of his son’s death, asking for answers to be provided through the legal proceedings. As he noted, the loss of a child leaves a pain that never goes away, and he spoke particularly of the families who continue to seek answers about what exactly happened to their loved ones.
“There’s a knot here that won’t go away,” he said, pointing to his chest and explaining that only God can ease this pain.
Speaking about his own experience, he mentioned that he received Kyprianos’s body, washed it, and prepared it for his funeral. “At least I opened the coffin and saw what I was burying. I prepared Kyprianos, washed him, and did what I could for him, even in death,” he said. At the same time, he expressed his solidarity with the relatives who, as he said, do not know for certain what they buried, noting that this uncertainty makes the grieving process more difficult. “To mourn someone, you need to know how they died. This problem must be resolved,” he emphasized.
Questions about the chemical odor
He made special mention of the strong chemical odor which, according to him, he detected on both Kyprianou’s body and his jacket. The 23-year-old’s priest-father reported that he had to use wine, oil, and perfumes to wash his son’s body, yet, as he claimed, the odor did not disappear. “Where was he found? What was it? I’m no expert; I’m just asking questions,” he said, raising issues that, as he emphasized, he expects to be investigated.
“His jacket—which I photographed and showed in court—was completely saturated with a foul, chemical odor. His body smelled the same way. I had poured several bottles of wine over his body to wash it and get rid of that smell. I used oil, I used perfumes, and yet that chemical odor was still there.”
At the same time, she expressed the view that Kyprianos may not have lost his life at the moment of the collision, but later, clarifying that these are questions he has discussed with only a few people.
“May everything come to light”
Despite the pain of his loss, the priest said he is looking forward to justice, expressing the hope that the legal proceedings will lead to accountability and provide answers to the victims’ families. As he noted, based on the impression he gained from the judges, he found them to be serious individuals, and he expressed his confidence in the process.
“Let them adjudicate and assign responsibility where it is due,” he said, emphasizing that it is important for the relatives to feel that they live in a society where justice prevails and their pain is understood. His message was clear: “They must not make the mistake of concealing evidence, but must bring it to light.”
“As I saw them today, when I testified and looked them in the eyes, I saw that they are serious people, people with heart. I place my hope in the Roman spirit. Because Greeks have a heart, and I think this will work within our society. May the parents find comfort, and may the public also feel that justice is being served.”
As he explained, revealing the truth is essential so that every family can piece themselves back together and move on with their lives, while carrying the burden of their loss. For Kyprianou’s father, justice is not only about assigning blame, but also about the need to provide answers to those who have lost their loved ones and continue to seek the truth about their final moments.
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