Monastery faces role as amusement centre

11 September 2005
Cyprus Weekly

THE oldest Armenian religious monument in Cyprus under further threat after the occupation authorities granted a ‘licence’ for the use of Surb Makar monastery on the Pendadaktylos range as an amusement outlet.

The move provoked strong reaction from the Vatican, which issued a stern caution to the illegal regime.

Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said the Government backed the Vatican’s reaction, noting that the latter had been informed of the intended sacrilege of the monastery through government action.

Chrysostomides also noted that the Holy See had used unusually strong language in its response.

Surb Makara or Saint Makarios monastery was built in the 13th century in the thickly wooded Halefka area of Pendadaktylos. Besides an important church, it housed a magnificent library of rare Armenian manuscripts and books, both looted and badly damaged by the Turkish invading forces in 1974.

The monastery had always been part of the life of the Armenian community, especially after the loss of their church in Victoria Street following the Turkish Cypriot rising of 1963.

Armenians from all over Cyprus used to take excursions to the monastery, which although it had no monks, provided a place for community gatherings and festivities.

Many christenings took place in the monastery, run by the Armenian Church with a big feast taking place on the 1st Sunday of May to celebrate St Makar.

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