The preservation of our reminiscence, our nationwide character and our custom, in addition to any worthwhile effort to protect monuments and sacred relics, represent a robust counterweight to any Turkish actions, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides mentioned on Sunday, noting that Orthodoxy has all the time acted as a protecting defend towards international conquests and preserved the cultural and nationwide id of the Cypriot folks.
In an tackle on the presentation of the three-volume undertaking entitled “Non secular Icons of Karpasia”, which was held at College of Central Lancashire in Pyla and delivered on his behalf by deputy authorities spokesperson Doxa Komodromou, Christodoulides mentioned “it is a precious work of historic, non secular and nationwide significance, which presents treasures of the Church of Cyprus and the world’s cultural heritage, rescued within the occupied villages of Karpasia by refugees and enclaved folks of the area.”
Virtually half a century after the tragic occasions, “we’re witnessing a scientific effort to change the demographic character of our island and a methodical tactic by the conqueror to chop us off from the roots of our existence. The Cyprus drawback of invasion and occupation stays a bleeding wound for each legit citizen of our nation and for European tradition generally.”
He additionally mentioned that “the preservation of reminiscence, our nationwide character and our custom, in addition to any worthwhile effort to protect monuments and sacred relics, represent a robust counterweight to any Turkish actions. The Church of Cyprus, each in instances of prosperity and in instances of adversity, having the status of the Autocephaly resulting from its Apostolicity, has all the time supplied useful companies to the society and the nation.”
By extension, he famous, “Orthodoxy acted as a defend of safety towards international conquests and safeguarded the cultural and nationwide id of the Cypriot folks.”
In her tackle, President of the Home of Representatives Annita Demetriou mentioned that “Karpasia is ready for us and I want we could possibly be there.”
She added that the three-volume undertaking “is a written assertion of our resistance to any try and overwrite or falsify the lengthy historical past of our island. The sacred icons of the publication encapsulate all of the theology of the Christian doctrine, mirror the confluence of the historical past and religion of Hellenism in Cyprus and carry with them the horror of despoliation, the irreverence of antiquity smuggling, the ache of refugees, but in addition the persistence, perseverance and want for freedom and return.”
We want, the Home President concluded, “to protect our cultural and our non secular heritage and to make use of each step and alternative to tell what remains to be occurring right here in Cyprus after 49 years and to maneuver one step farther from the place the talks stopped and have been interrupted, however above all to return to the place we belong, the place we must always belong”.
Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus, in his personal tackle, mentioned that “within the Orthodox Church, the position of icons has all the time been and stays essential, each in its worship and in its theology.”
Referring to the three-volume work, His Beatitude thanked and congratulated “those that laboured for this publication and people who contributed cash for this goal. Most of all, nevertheless, we thank and are grateful to those that have preserved these treasures for us, which within the circumstances we stay in should not solely non secular but in addition nationwide treasures,” he mentioned, noting that “these folks, each named and nameless, need to have our gratitude and admiration.”
The uncontrolled scenario within the Turkish-occupied space of Cyprus after the Turkish invasion in 1974 has fostered the event of a community of sellers in illicit antiquities whose intention was to promote out the cultural heritage of Cyprus. With the encouragement and assist of the Turkish military, the commerce in illicit antiquities has introduced nice revenue to these concerned, and Cypriot treasures already adorn non-public collections in quite a lot of international locations together with Turkey, Russia, Switzerland, Holland and the UK, and even so far as the US, Australia and Japan.
Greater than 500 church buildings located within the areas beneath Turkish occupation since 1974 have been destroyed, plundered and looted or changed into stables, warehouses, eating places and accommodations. The Cyprus authorities and the church have repeatedly protested to the UN, the World Council of Church buildings and plenty of different worldwide and non secular organisations.