Part of a series on
Armenians
Armenian culture
Architecture Art Cuisine Dance Dress Literature Music History
By country or region
Armenia Artsakh (See also Nagorno-Karabakh) Turkey Armenian diaspora Russia France India United States Iran Iraq Georgia Azerbaijan Brazil Argentina Uruguay Syria Lebanon Ukraine (Crimea) Poland Canada Australia Greece Cyprus Egypt Sweden Singapore Bangladesh China
Subgroups
Hamshenis Cherkesogai Armeno-Tats Lom people Hayhurum Zoks
Religion
Armenian Apostolic Armenian Catholic Evangelical Brotherhood Hetanism
Languages and dialects
Armenian: Eastern Zok Western Sign languages: Armenian Sign Caucasian Sign Persian: Armeno-Tat Armenian–Lom: Lomavren
Persecution
Genocide Hamidian massacres Adana massacre Anti-Armenianism Hidden Armenians

Armenians in Cyprus or Armenian-Cypriots (Armenian: Կիպրահայեր, Greek: Αρμενοκύπριοι, Turkish: Kıbrıs Ermenileri) are ethnic Armenians who live in Cyprus. The relation of Armenians with Cyprus and their presence on the island are very old and there has been a mutual economic and cultural association for many centuries. Armenians in Cyprus are a structured community with a long history and their presence has enriched the island in several ways; they are a recognised minority with their own language, schools, churches, cemeteries, monuments, information media, social institutions, customs, traditions and cultural life. During the last 50–60 years, the number of Armenians in Cyprus has decreased due to emigrations to other countries and integration into the broader Cypriot society, including intermarriage; their number today is smaller than it was 80 or 90 years ago. Economically, Armenian-Cypriots have tended to be self-employed businessmen/merchants, professionals or craftsmen.

Despite the relatively small number of Armenians living in Cyprus, the Armenian-Cypriot community has had a significant impact upon the Armenian Diaspora and the Armenian nation in general: during the Middle Ages, Cyprus had an extensive connection with the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, while the Ganchvor monastery had an important presence in Famagusta; during the Ottoman Era, the Virgin Mary church and the Magaravank were very prominent. In more recent times, the short-lived National Educational Orphanage and the Melkonian Educational Institute were very influential, as was the presence of the Armenian Legion in Cyprus, while the emigration of a large number of Armenian-Cypriots to the United Kingdom virtually shaped today's British-Armenian community. Certain Armenian-Cypriots were or are very prominent on a Panarmenian or international level and the fact that, for nearly half a century, the survivors of the Armenian Genocide co-operated and co-existed peacefully with the Turkish-Cypriots, perhaps a unique phenomenon across the Armenian Diaspora. Additionally, the history and the various other aspects of the Armenian community of Cyprus are extremely well-documented. Finally, Cyprus was the first country to bring the issue of the Armenian Genocide recognition to the plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly in 1965 and the second country in the world to recognise the Armenian Genocide in 1975.

Currently, Armenians in Cyprus maintain a notable presence of about 3.500 on the island (including about 1.000 non-Cypriot Armenians, mainly from Armenia, Georgia, Lebanon, Russia and Syria),^[1] mostly centred around the capital Nicosia, but also with communities in Larnaca and Limassol, where they have churches, schools, associations, cemeteries and monuments; there is also a small unstructured Armenian community in Paphos (virtually all of its members originate from Armenia).^[2] The Armenian Prelature of Cyprus is located in Nicosia. According to the 1960 Constitution of Cyprus, together with the Maronites and the Latins, they are recognised as a “religious group” and have opted to belong to the Greek-Cypriot community. The Armenian-Cypriot community is strongly supported, financially and morally, by the Republic of Cyprus and Armenian-Cypriots are represented by an elected Representative in the House of Representatives; since May 2006, the Representative is Vartkes Mahdessian, a prominent businessman from Nicosia, who was re-elected in May 2011 for a new term in the House of Representatives.^[3] The religious leader of the community, since August 1997, is Catholicosal Vicar Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian, accountable to the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia.

History

Of the three religious groups, Armenians are the oldest in Cyprus, since the first confirmed presence of Armenians on the island goes back to 578 AD, during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justin II, while Maronites and Latins appeared on the island in 686 and 1126, respectively.

Byzantine Era (578–1191)

There is a long link between the Armenians and Cyprus, possibly dating back to the 5th century BC. However, Armenians have had a continuous documented presence in Cyprus since 578 AD: according to historian Theophylact Simocatta, during his campaign against the Persian King Chosroes I, Byzantine General Maurice the Cappadocian captured 10,090 Armenians as prisoners in Arzanene (Aghdznik), of whom about 3,350 were deported to Cyprus.^[4] Judging by the strategic position of the colonies they established (Armenokhori, Arminou, Kornokipos, Patriki, Platani, Spathariko and perhaps Mousere), it is very likely that these Armenians served Byzantium as mercenary soldiers and frontiersmen.

More Armenians arrived during the reign of Armenian-descended Emperor Heraclius (610–641) for political reasons (he attempted to bridge the differences between the Armenian Church and the Byzantine Church), during the pontificate of Catholicos Hovhannes Odznetsi (717–728) for commercial reasons and after the liberation of Cyprus from the Arab raids by patrician Niketas Chalkoutzes (965) for military reasons, when Armenian mercenaries were transferred to Cyprus to protect its political sovereignty. In the mid-Byzantine period, Armenian generals and governors served in Cyprus, like Alexios Mousele or Mousere (868–874), Basil Haigaz (958), Vahram (965), Elpidios Brachamios (1075–1085) and Leo Symbatikes (910–911), who undertook the construction of Saint Lazarus' basilica in Larnaca. It appears that Saint Lazarus' church had been an Armenian Apostolic church in the 10th century and was used by Armenian-Catholics during the Latin Era.

The numerous Armenians required an analogous spiritual pastorate, and so in 973 Catholicos Khatchig I established the Armenian Bishopric in Nicosia. Relations between Cyprus and the Armenians became more intense when the Kingdom of Cilicia was established. The Kingdom, on the coast of Cilicia, to the north of the island, was established at around 1080 AD by Armenian refugees who fled the Seljuk invasion to the north and remained an ally of Byzantium. Between 1136–1138, Byzantine Emperor John II Comnenus moved the entire population of the Armenian city of Tell Hamdun to Cyprus. After Isaac Comnenus’ wedding to the daughter of the Armenian prince Thoros II in 1185, Armenian nobles and warriors came with him to Cyprus, many of whom defended the island against Richard the Lionheart (May 1191), when he landed in Limassol in a conquering mood, and the Knights Templar (April 1192), who had purchased Cyprus from Richard and they governed with a particular cruelty. Eventually, the Templars returned the island to Richard, who in turn sold it to Guy de Lusignan.^[5]

Latin Era (1191–1570)

After the purchase of Cyprus by titular Frankish King of Jerusalem Guy de Lusignan in 1192, in his attempt to establish a western-type feudal Kingdom, the latter sent emissaries to Europe, Cilicia and the Levant, resulting in a massive immigration of Armenians and other peoples from Western Europe, Cilicia and the Levant (mainly Franks, Latins and Maronites, as well as Copts, Ethiopians, Georgians, Jacobites, Jews, Melkites, Nestorians and others). To these numerous bourgeois, noblemen, knights and warriors, fiefs, manors, lands, offices and various privileges were bounteously granted. Because of their proximity, their commercial ties and a series of royal and nobility marriages, the Kingdom of Cyprus and the Kingdom of Cilicia became inextricably linked. In the subsequent centuries, thousands of Cilician Armenians sought refuge in Cyprus fleeing the Muslim hordes and attacks: the Fall of Jerusalem (1267), the Fall of Acre (1291), the attack of the Saracens (1322), the Mameluke attacks (1335 and 1346) and the Ottoman occupation of Cilicia (1403 and 1421). Cyprus became now the easternmost bulwark of Christianity; in 1441 the authorities of Famagusta invited Armenians from Cilicia to settle there.

The Fall of Sis in April 1375 put an end to the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia; its last King, Levon V, was granted safe passage to Cyprus and died in exile in Paris in 1393, after calling in vain for another Crusade. In 1396, his title and privileges were transferred to his cousin, King James I de Lusignan, in the Saint Sophia cathedral; subsequently, the royal crest of the Lusignan dynasty also bore the lion of Armenia. Thus ended the last fully independent Armenian entity of the Middle Ages, after nearly three centuries of sovereignty and bloom; the title of "King of Armenia" was then held through the centuries down to the modern day by the House of Savoy, through the marriage of Queen Charlotte of Cyprus to Louis of Savoy. Although the Egyptian Mamelukes had taken over Cilicia, they were unable to maintain their hold on it; Turkic tribes eventually made their way to the region and established themselves there, leading to the conquest of Cilicia by Tamerlane. As a result, 30.000 Armenians left Cilicia in 1403 and settled in Cyprus, which continued to be ruled by the Lusignan dynasty until 1489.^[6]

During the Frankish and the Venetian Eras (1192–1489 & 1489–1570, respectively), there were Armenian churches in Nicosia, Famagusta, Spathariko [Sourp Sarkis (Saint Sergius) and Sourp Varvare (Saint Barbara)], Kornokipos [Sourp Hreshdagabedk (Saint Archangels)], Platani [Sourp Kevork (Saint George)], Piscopia and elsewhere [Sourp Parsegh (Saint Basil)]. Armenians were amongst the seven most important religious groups in Cyprus, in possession of stores and shops in the ports of Famagusta, Limassol and Paphos, as well as in the capital Nicosia, thus controlling a large segment of commerce. Additionally, Armenian was one of the eleven official languages of the Kingdom of Cyprus and one of the five official languages of the Venetian colonial administration of Cyprus.

According to chroniclers Leontios Makhairas (1369–1458), George Boustronios (1430–1501) and Florio Bustron (1500–1570), the Armenians of Nicosia had their Prelature and used to live in their own quarter, called Armenia or Armenoyitonia. They originally had three churches: Sourp Kevork (Saint George), Sourp Boghos-Bedros (Saints Paul and Peter) and Sourp Khach (Holy Cross) - believed to the today's Arablar mosque or Stavros tou Missirikou. In Famagusta, a Bishopric was established in the late 12th century and Armenians lived around the Syrian quarter. Historical documents suggest the presence of an important monastic and theological centre there, at which Saint Nerses Lampronatsi (1153–1198) is said to have studied; of the three Armenian churches of walled Famagusta [Sourp Asdvadzadzin (Mother of God), Sourp Sarkis (Saint Sergius) and Sourp Khach (Holy Cross) - believed to be the unidentified church between the Carmelite church and Saint Anne], only Ganchvor church survives, built in 1346.

During the Middle Ages, Armenians in Cyprus were actively engaged in commerce, while some of them formed military garrisons in Kyrenia (1322) and elsewhere. A number of Armenians defended the Frankish Kingdom of Cyprus against the Genoese (1373) at Xeros, against the Saracens (1425) at Stylli village and against the Mamelukes (1426) in Limassol and Khirokitia. By 1425, the renowned Magaravank – originally the Coptic monastery of Saint Makarios near Halevga (Pentadhaktylos region) – came under Armenian possession, as did sometime before 1504 the Benedictine/Carthusian nunnery of Notre Dame de Tyre or Tortosa (Sourp Asdvadzadzin) in walled Nicosia; many of its nuns had been of Armenian origin (such as princess Fimie, daughter of the Armenian King Hayton II). During the Latin Era, there was also a small number of Armenian Catholics in Nicosia, Famagusta and the Bellapais Abbey, where Lord Hayton of Corycus served as a monk.

The prosperity of the inhabitants of Cyprus was brought to a halt by the harsh and corrupt Venetian administration and the iniquitous taxes they imposed. Their tyrannical rule, combined with adverse conditions (droughts, earthquakes, epidemics, famines, floods etc), caused a noticeable decline in the island's population. According to historian Stephen de Lusignan, by the late Venetian Era, Armenians lived mainly in Famagusta and Nicosia and, in small numbers, at three “Armenian villages”, Platani, Kornokipos and Spathariko.

Ottoman Era (1570–1878)

During the Osmanian conquest of the island (1570–1571), about 40.000 Ottoman-Armenian craftsmen were recruited (mainly sappers). The new order of things affected the Armenian community as well: many of the Ottoman Armenians who survived the conquest settled mainly in Nicosia, increasing its Armenian population, while the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus was recognised as an Ethnarchy (Ազգային Իշխանութիւն, Azkayin Ishkhanoutiun), via the millet institution. However, the Bishopric in Famagusta was abolished, as the Christian population was slaughtered or expelled and the entire walled city became forbidden for non-Muslims until the early years of the British Era. As a reward for their services during the conquest (whose exact nature we can only assume), the Armenians of Nicosia were granted the right to guard Paphos Gate (this privilege was used only for a short period, due to the large expenditure required) and, by a firman dated May 1571, they were given back the Notre Dame de Tyre church (also known as Tortosa), which the Ottomans had turned into a salt store. Additionally, the Magaravank monastery had won the favour of the Ottomans and became an important way station for Armenian and other pilgrims en route to the Holy Land, as well as a place of rest for travellers and Catholicoi and other clergymen from Cilicia and Jerusalem.

Contrary to the Latins and the Maronites, Armenians – being Orthodox – were not persecuted because of their religion by the Ottomans. Even though about 20.000 Armenians lived in Cyprus during the very first years of the Ottoman Era, by 1630 only 2.000 Armenians had remained (out of a total of 56.530 inhabitants). In the Bedestan (the covered market of Nicosia), there were many Armenian merchants and in the late 18th century/early 19th century Nicosia's leading citizen was an Armenian trader called Sarkis, who was a “beratli” (bearer of a privilege) and was initially the dragoman for the French Consul, before becoming the dragoman for the English Consul. Later on, in the early to mid-19th century, travellers and registers mention another rich Armenian merchant, Hadji Symeon Agha of Crimea, who had earlier financed a complete reparation of the Armenian Monastery and was Sarkis' son-in-law. A third Armenian notable was Mardiros Fugas, dragoman for the French Consul and a well-known trader, who was hanged in July 1821 by the Ottomans. Gifted with the acumen of industry, Armenians practised lucrative professions and in the beginning of the 17th century Persian Armenians settled in Cyprus as silk traders, as did some affluent Ottoman-Armenian families in the 18th and 19th centuries. However, with the new order of things, the number of Armenians and other Christians dramatically declined due to the onerous taxation and the harshness of the Ottoman administration, compelling many Christians to become Linobambaki (Crypto-Christians) or to embrace Islam, which explains why former Armenian villages (Armenokhori, Artemi, Ayios Iakovos, Ayios Khariton, Kornokipos, Melounda, Platani and Spathariko) were inhabited by “Turkish-Cypriots” at the end of the 19th century; a few Armenian-Cypriots became Catholics through marriage with affluent Latin families.

Gradually, after the bloody 1821 events – when, as a response to the Cypriot support to the Greek revolution, the Ottomans destroyed the Armenian and Greek mansions, prohibited Greeks, Franks, Armenians and Maronites to carry guns and hanged or massacred 470 notables, amongst them the Armenian parish priest of Nicosia, der Bedros -, some improvements were observed during the Tanzimat period (1839–1876). In the spirit of the Hatt-ı Şerif of Gülhane (1839), the Armenian Bishop, the Greek Archbishop and the Maronite Suffragan Bishop participated in the Administrative Council (Meclis İdare), which was formed in 1840. After 1850, some Armenians were employed in the civil service, while in 1860 the Armenian church of Nicosia became amongst the first in Cyprus to have a working belfry – donated by Constantinopolitan Armenian Hapetig Nevrouzian. Additionally, the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 benefited the Armenian and other merchants of the island, while in 1870 the first Armenian school was established in Nicosia by newly-arrived Archimandrite Vartan Mamigonian. Furthermore, as a result of the Hatt-ı Hümayun in 1856, the administrative autonomy of the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus was officially recognised.

Throughout the Ottoman Era (1571–1878), the vast majority of the Armenian population of Cyprus had been Armenian Orthodox, although there is also mention of a small Armenian Catholic community in Larnaca. Of the three religious groups, the Armenians are the only ones to have a continuous presence of Prelates throughout the Osmanian occupation. Based on various estimates, the Armenian-Cypriot community of the 19th century numbered between 150–250 persons, the majority of whom lived in Nicosia, with smaller numbers living in Famagusta, Larnaca, the north and south of the capital (especially in Dheftera and Kythrea) and, naturally, around the Magaravank.^[5]

British Era (1878–1960)

With the arrival of the British in July 1878 and their progressive administration, the already prosperous yet small Armenian community of the island was particularly strengthened. Known for their linguistic skills, several Armenians were contracted to Cyprus to work as interpreters and public servants at the consulates and the British administration, such as Apisoghom Utidjian – the official state translator and interpreter for Ottoman Turkish between 1878 and 1919. The number of Armenians in Cyprus significantly increased following the massive deportations, the horrific massacres and the Genocide perpetrated by the Ottomans and the Young Turks (1894–1896, 1909 & 1915–1923). Cyprus widely opened its arms to welcome over 10.000 refugees from Cilicia, Smyrna and Constantinople, who arrived in Larnaca and all its other harbours, some by chance, others by intent; about 1.500 of them made the island their new home. Industrious, cultivated and progressive, they brought new life into the old community and did not need long to find their feet and establish themselves as people of the arts, letters and sciences, able entrepreneurs and formidable merchants, unsurpassed craftsmen and photographers, as well as pioneering professionals who introduced new crafts, dishes and sweets to the island, thus significantly contributing to Cyprus' socioeconomic and cultural development.^[7]

The newcomers established associations, choirs, sports groups, Scout groups, bands, churches, schools and cemeteries in Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol, Famagusta, Amiandos and elsewhere, while soon Armenophony became a reality. Armenians were the first locksmiths, mechanics, seat, comb and stamp makers, upholsterers, watchmakers and zincographers in Cyprus. They were the first to introduce the cinema, they significantly improved the craft of shoemaking and it was Armenians who first introduced Armenian bastourma, baklava, dried apricots, gassosa, gyros, halva, ice cubes, koubes, lahmadjoun, lokmadhes and pompes into the Cypriot cuisine – all very popular today. Armenians also introduced two techniques of embroidery needlework: the Aintab work (Այնթապի գործ) and the Marash work (Մարաշի գործ). There were also some Armenian factory owners (ice makers, soap makers, sock makers, tanners etc.), but above all, there was a disproportionately large number of Armenian photographers.

Law-abiding by nature, Armenian-Cypriots always had a high profile with the British administration and many became conscientious civil servants and disciplined policemen or were employed at the Cyprus Government Railway and at Cable and Wireless. Throughout the 1920s–1950s, many worked at the asbestos mines at Amiandos and the copper mines at Mavrovouni and Skouriotissa, some of whom had been trade unionists. Some Armenian-Cypriots participated in the 1897 Greco-Turkish War, the two World Wars (1914–1918 – at the Cyprus Muleteers' Corps – & 1939–1945 – both at the Cyprus Regiment and the Cyprus Volunteer Force) and the EOKA liberation struggle (1955–1959). Also, the Eastern Legion (later called Armenian Legion) was formed and trained between December 1916 and May 1918 in Monarga village, near Boghazi, consisting of over 4.000 Diasporan Armenian volunteers who heroically fought against the Ottoman Empire. Some Armenian refugees arrived from Palestine (1947–1949) and Egypt (1956–1957).^[6]

The Armenian-Cypriot community prospered throughout the British Era (1878–1960), by establishing associations, choirs, Scout groups, sports teams, musical ensembles, churches, cemeteries and schools, including the renowned Melkonian Educational Institute. In many ways unique across the whole Armenian Diaspora, it was built just outside Nicosia between 1924–1926, after the generous and benevolent donation of the Egyptian-Armenian tobacco trading brothers Krikor and Garabed Melkonian, initially in order to shelter and educate 500 orphans of the Genocide, who planted the trees in front of the school in memory of their slaughtered relatives. From an orphanage (1926–1940), it gradually became a world-renowned secondary school with a boarding section (1934–2005).^[8]

Examining the population censuses of the British Era (see Demography section), we observe a steady increase in the number of Armenians in Cyprus, ranging from 201 in 1881 to 4.549 in 1956. In their vast majority, they were Armenian Apostolic, but there was also a small number of Armenian Catholics and Armenian Protestants. In the 1960 population census, 3.628 Armenians were recorded – in contrast to 4.549 in 1956 – as about 900 Armenian-Cypriots had emigrated to Great Britain, Australia and elsewhere, not only because of the difficult economic conditions of the time, but mainly due to the emergency situation caused by the EOKA liberation struggle (1955–1959) and the uncertainty that some felt with the departure of the British, whom they viewed as their protectors. In fact, a large portion of British-Armenians hail from Cyprus.^[6]

Independence Era (1960–present)

The end of the EOKA liberation struggle (1955-1959) found Armenian-Cypriots having forged strong bonds with the rest of the Cypriots. The 1960 Independence brought a new era for the Armenians of Cyprus, who – together with the Maronites and the Latins – were recognised as a “religious group” by the Constitution (Article 2 § 3) and were now represented by an elected Representative - initially a member of the Greek Communal Chamber (Article 109) and, since 1965, a member of the House of Representatives (Law 12/1965). The size of the community, however, had been reduced because of the emigration of about 900 Armenian-Cypriots to the United Kingdom, due to the emergency situation caused by the EOKA liberation struggle (1955–1959) and the poor state of the local economy. A second factor that contributed to the reduction of the community’s size was the emigration of about 600 Armenian-Cypriots to Soviet Armenia, as part of the Panarmenian movement for “repatriation” during the 1962–1964 period (nerkaght).^[9]

During the 1963–1964 inter-communal troubles, the Armenian-Cypriot community suffered major losses, as the Armenian Quarter of Nicosia was captured by extremist Turkish-Cypriots: taken were the Prelature building, the mediaeval Virgin Mary church, the Melikian-Ouzounian school, the historical Genocide Monument, the club houses of the Armenian Club, AYMA and AGBU, as well as the Armenian Evangelical church; also taken was the mediaeval Ganchvor church in Famagusta. In total, 231 Armenian-Cypriot families became victims to the Turks and/or lost their shops and enterprises. As a result, hundreds of Armenian-Cypriots left for Great Britain, Canada, Australia and the United States.^[7] After the 1974 Turkish invasion, the Armenian-Cypriot community suffered additional losses: 4–5 families living in Kyrenia, about 30 families in Nicosia and 40–45 families in Famagusta became refugees, while an Armenian-Cypriot lady (Rosa Bakalian) has been missing since then; the renowned Magaravank monastery in Pentadhaktylos was taken by the Turkish troops, the Melkonian boys' dormitory was bombed by the Turkish Air Force, while the Ayios Dhometios Armenian cemetery was hit by mortars and fell within the buffer zone. As a result, dozens of Armenian-Cypriots emigrated, mainly to Great Britain - in total, about 1.300 Armenian-Cypriots left Cyprus in the 1960s and 1970s, in addition to those who emigrated to Soviet Armenia.^[5]

With the unfailing support of the government, the small yet industrious Armenian community of Cyprus gradually managed to recovered from its losses and continued to prosper in the remaining urban areas, contributing culturally and socioeconomically to the development of its homeland. On 24 April 1975, Cyprus became the first European country (and the second world-wide, after Uruguay) to recognise the Armenian Genocide with Resolution 36/1975; two more resolutions followed, Resolution 74/1982 and Resolution 103/1990, with the latter declaring 24 April as a National Remembrance Day of the Armenian Genocide in Cyprus. Over the past decades, the dynamics of the Armenian-Cypriot community have changed with the increased number of marriages with Greek-Cypriots and other non-Armenians, and the arrival over the last 30–35 years of thousands of Armenian political and economic immigrants because of the civil war in Lebanon (1975–1990), the insurgencies in Syria (1976–1982), the Islamic revolution in Iran and the Iran-Iraq war (1978–1988), as well as after the Spitak earthquake (1988) and the dissolution of the Soviet Union (1991); some of them have settled permanently in Cyprus. According to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages of the Council of Europe, the Armenian language – the mother tongue of the vast majority of Armenian-Cypriots – was recognised as a minority language of Cyprus as of 1 December 2002. Today, it is estimated that Armenians living in Cyprus number over 3.500 persons; other than the countries mentioned above, in Cyprus there is also a small number of Armenians coming from Ethiopia, Greece, Kuwait, Turkey and the United Kingdom.^[10]

Demography

There is no accurate information as to the number of Armenians living in Cyprus during the Byzantine Era. Although during the early Frankish Era there were tens of thousands of Armenians living in Cyprus (mainly in Nicosia and Famagusta - where in the latter they numbered around 1.500 souls in 1360), by the late Frankish Era and certainly during the Venetian Era, the number of Armenians in Cyprus dwindled - for a number of reasons: this was due to the tyrannical rule of the Venetian administration, combined with the adverse natural conditions (which affected all Cypriots), as well as the Hellenisation of the various minorities of the island. In fact, the 1572 survey of population and property of Nicosia after the Ottoman conquest, under beylerbey Sinan Pasha, recorded 90-95 local Armenians in Nicosia, out of about 1.100 inhabitants - all with completely Hellenised names.

It appears that during the very first years of the Ottoman Era (1570–1878), about 20.000 of the 40.000 recruited Ottoman Armenians had remained in Cyprus. Their number, however, rapidly declined, due to the harshness and the oppression of the regime, the onerous taxation and the natural disasters: according to the Latin Bishop of Paphos, Pietro Vespa, in 1630 there were only 2.000 Armenians in Cyprus (out of a total population of 56.350 - mostly living in rural areas), as a great number emigrated elsewhere and many others embraced Islam or they became Linobambaki (Crypto-Christians). Franciscan missionary Giovanni Battista da Todi recorded only 200 Armenians in Nicosia in 1647, while in 1660 he recorded over 300 Armenians on the island. Cardinal Bernardino Spada, representative of Propaganda Fide, also mentioned 200 Armenians in Nicosia in 1648, out of 3.000 inhabitants, also mentioning that their church was the largest in the capital, with 3 priests. Up until the mid-18th century, despite the limited arrival of Ottoman Armenians and Persian Armenians, their number was rather small. Russian monk Basil Barsky, who visited the island in 1727 and 1735, mentions “some Armenians” living in Nicosia. Visiting Cyprus in 1738, British traveler Richard Pococke mentions “very few Armenians, yet they have possession of an ancient church [in Nicosia]”, while for the island as a whole he makes mention to “a small number of Armenians, who are very poor, though they have an Archbishop and a convent in the country”. However, by the time Italian Abbot Giovanni Mariti visited Cyprus in 1760 and 1767, they had apparently become “the richest section of the inhabitants [of Nicosia]”, which is why thought “there are many Armenians [on the island]”. By the mid–19th century, following various waves of Hellenisation (peaceful assimilation) and Turkification (forced conversion), the number of Armenian-Cypriots ranged between 150–200.

When Englishman Captain John MacDonald Kinneir visited Cyprus in 1814, he estimated about 40 Armenian families in Nicosia (around 200 persons) - out of a total of 2.000 families (about 10.000 persons), as did British Consul Niven Kerr and Greek Vice-Consul Demetrios Margarites in 1844 and 1847, respectively. The first large-scale Ottoman census in 1831, under the supervision of Muhassil Halil Effendi, counted 114 non-Muslim males in the Armenian quarter of Nicosia and 13 at the Armenian Monastery (with a total male population of 45.365). Therefore, the number of Armenians in Cyprus would have been around 200 (out of a total of about 88.500). Visiting Cyprus in 1835, American missionary Rev. Lorenzo Warriner Pease writes “the number of Armenians [in Nicosia] is between 30 and 40 families”. In 1841, about 200 Armenians lived on the island (out of a total of 108.600), of whom about 150-160 resided in Nicosia (with a population of 12.000) - according to the record of population by Muhassil Talât Effendi and the writings of French historians and travellers Louis Lacroix and Count Louis de Mas Latrie. The Latin Vicar General Paolo Brunoni also mentioned 200 Armenians in Nicosia in 1848, as well as some others at the Magaravank. In 1874 Belgian traveler Edmond Paridant-van der Cammen estimated 190 Armenians in Nicosia (out of a total of 13.530). Although unreliable for the Armenian population of Nicosia (mentioning only 20 families in 1875), researcher Philippos Georgiou recorded 6-8 Armenian families around the Magaravank and 5 Armenian families in Larnaca. In 1877, newly-arrived priest Hovhannes Shahinian recorded 152 Armenians living in Cyprus, while the first modern population census of Nicosia, carried out in 1879 by the District Commissioner, Major-General Sir Robert Biddulph, counted 166 Armenians - out of a total of 11.197 inhabitants.

The British colonial censuses that took place between 1881 and 1956 provide us with fairly accurate data on the Armenian population of Cyprus. The following numbers are the combined figures of those recorded as Armenians (by religion) and those recorded as speakers of Armenian: in 1881 there were 201 Armenians in Cyprus (of whom 174 belonged to the “Armenian Church”), who increased to 291 in 1891 (of whom 269 were “Gregorians” and 11 “Armenian Catholics”) and to 553 in 1901 (of whom 491 were “Gregorians” and 26 “Armenian Catholics”); the numerical increase was due to the influx of Armenian refugees from the Hamidian massacres. In 1911 there were 611 Armenians in Cyprus (of whom 549 were “Gregorians” and 9 “Armenian Catholics”), while in 1921 their number rose to 1.573 (of whom 1.197 belonged to the “Armenian Church”) and to 3.617 in 1931 (of whom 3.377 were “Armenian Gregorians”), as a result of the huge wave of refugees from the Armenian Genocide.

In 1935 the Armenian Prelature recorded 3.819 Armenians in Cyprus: 102 were “native Cypriots” (mainly residing in Nicosia), 399 resided at the Melkonian Educational Institute, while 3.318 were “refugees”, i.e. Genocide survivors and their descendants; of those, 2.139 lived in Nicosia, 678 in Larnaca, 205 in Limassol, 105 in Famagusta, 58 in Amiandos, 25 in Lefka, 20 in Kalo Khorio (Lefka), 18 in Lefkara, 17 around the Magaravank, 5 in Kyrenia, 4 in Paphos and 44 in various villages. In 1946 there were 3.962 Armenians in Cyprus (of whom 3.686 were “Armenian Gregorians”), while in 1956 they numbered 4.549.^[6] The table on the right shows the geographical distribution of Armenian-Cypriots per district from 1881 through 1960.

The last accurate census of the population of Cyprus with regard to its ethnic breakdown was carried out in 1960; it recorded 3.628 Armenians in Cyprus (of whom 3.378 were “Armenian Gregorians”). In 1978 and 1987 the Armenian Prelature recorded the Armenian population of Cyprus, which was 1.787 and 2.742, respectively (however, without extra information regarding their geographical distribution).

Since then, their number has increased; currently, about 3.500 Armenians live in Cyprus: 65% live in the capital, Nicosia, 20% in Larnaca, 10% in Limassol and 5% in Paphos and some villages. Over 95% of the Armenian population of Cyprus speak Armenian and are Armenian Orthodox (also known as Armenian Apostolic or Gregorian); some 5% belong either to the Armenian Evangelical Church, the Armenian Catholic Church, the Latin Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church, the Plymouth Brethren Church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church or they are Jehovah's Witnesses. About 1.000 out of the 3.500 Armenians who live in Cyprus hail from Armenia, Lebanon, Syria, Russia, Georgia, Persia, Greece, Iraq, Ethiopia, Turkey and Kuwait. Most of the first wave of Armenians from Armenia who arrived in Cyprus from 1988 onwards were in fact the Armenian-Cypriots and their descendants who emigrated to Armenia between 1962–1964, as part of the nerkaght (ներգամթ – repatriation) Panarmenian movement.

The map on the right shows the places of origin of Armenian-Cypriots, based on a survey that Archbishop Bedros Saradjian conducted in 1935. According to available information, the about 1.000 refugees from the Hamidian massacres (1894–1896) mainly originated from Diyarbakir (Dikranagerd), Aintab and Kilis; only about 100 of them stayed. The next wave of Armenian refugees were the about 2.000 who fled the Adana massacre in 1909, most of whom returned to their ancestral homes in Adana within the same year.^[11] However, the largest wave of Armenian refugees – some of whom had come before and returned – were the nearly 9.000 who escaped the massive deportations, the horrific massacres and the Genocide perpetrated by the Ottomans and the Young Turks; about 1.300 of them decided to stay, while the others eventually made arrangements to settle in other countries. Those refugees came mainly from Adana and Seleucia (Silifke), while there a significant number of them came from Sis, Marash, Tarsus, Caesarea, Hadjin and Aintab; smaller numbers came from other places, alphabetically: Adapazar, Adrianople (Edirne), Afion-Karahisar, Alexandretta (Iskenderoun), Arapgir, Armash, Baghche, Bardizag, Balian Dagh, Biredjik, Bitlis, Brusa, Chemishgezek, Constantinople (Bolis), Dörtyol, Edessa (Urfa), Erzerum, Eskishehir, Everek, Ikonion (Konya), Jeyhan, Kesab, Kharpert, Kutahia, Malatia, Mersin, Misis, Musa Dagh (Musa Ler), Nicomedia (Izmit), Rhaedestos (Tekirdagh), Sasun, Sebastia (Sivas), Shar, Sivri Hisar, Smyrna (Izmir), Tokat (Evdokia), Trepizond, Van, Yerzinga, Yozgat and Zeitun.^[11]

Politics

Armenian-Cypriots have been politically organised since the late 19th century. The breakdown below examines their involvement in local administration, Cypriot politics and Armenian politics.

Local administration

With regard to local administration, the Armenian participation has been limited. Traditionally, there is the appointed mukhtar of Nicosia's Karaman Zade quarter (the Armenian Quarter). So far, there have been 4 mukhtars: Melik Melikian (1927–1949), Kasbar Delyfer (1949–1956), Vahe Kouyoumdjian (1956–2009) and Mgo Kouyoumdjian (2011–today). Bedros Amirayan served as an appointed member of Famagusta's municipal committee (1903–1905), Dr. Antranik L. Ashdjian served as an appointed municipal councillor and, later on, Vice Mayor, for Nicosia (1964–1970), while Berge Kevorkian served as an appointed municipal councillor for Nicosia (1970–1986).

Cypriot politics

With the exception of the elected Representatives, so far there has been only one Armenian-Cypriot MP in the House of Representatives, Marios Garoyian. He was elected as an MP for Nicosia District on 21 May 2006 with the Democratic Party and in October 2006 he became the party's President. After the election of Demetris Christofias as President of the Republic of Cyprus in February 2008, Marios Garoyian was voted Speaker of the House of Representatives on 6 March 2008, the second highest political position in Cyprus. He was re-elected as an MP for Nicosia District on 22 May 2011 and he served as House Speaker until 2 June 2011.

Armenian politics

Despite its relatively small size, the Armenian-Cypriot community has been an active participant in Panarmenian politics already since the late 19th century, even though this became more established in the mid-20th century. All three major Armenian Diaspora parties are active in Cyprus, especially ARF Dashnaktsoutiun. It established its presence in Cyprus as early as in 1897 and it continued to be present on and off on the island until the early years of the 20th century. At that time, Cyprus was frequently used as a stepping stone for some European Armenian fedayees who had Asia Minor and Cilicia as their final destination. However, after the Armenian Genocide, the party presence became minimal, save for individual members, supporters and/or sympathisers, until it was re-organised after World War II and was officially re-established in 1947; its chapter is called Karenian, after Armen Karo, who briefly visited Cyprus, in order to organise the assembly of weapons for the Zeitoun Resistance.

ARF Dashnaktsoutiun is affiliated with the Armenian Young Men's Association (AYMA) in Nicosia, the Armenian Club in Larnaca and the Limassol Armenian Young Men's Association (LHEM) in Limassol, as well as with the Armenian National Committee of Cyprus, the Armenian Youth Federation of Cyprus, the “Azadamard” Armenian Youth Centre, the Armenian Relief Society of Cyprus and the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Association of Cyprus, all based in Nicosia. The Armenian Relief Society chapter of Cyprus is called Sosse, after Sosse Mayrig, who visited Cyprus in the summer of 1938, while the Hamazkayin chapter of Cyprus is called Oshagan, after Hagop Oshagan, who had been a professor at the Melkonian Educational Institute between 1926–1934.

The ADL Ramgavar first appeared in Cyprus in the early 1930s, in the form of a core of party members. It also participated in the Diocesan Council elections of 1947, which caused a very big stir in community life. However, the party has officially been active in Cyprus since 1956. Its chapter is called Tekeyan, after Vahan Tekeyan, who had been a professor at the Melkonian Educational Institute between 1934–1935.^[12] The party has never been very active on the island, mainly because it was overshadowed by the significant presence of the AGBU, affiliated with ADL Ramgavar. Both organisations lost a substantial number of followers, when they "repatriated" to Armenia between 1962–1964, as part of the nerkaght (ներգաղթ – repatriation) movement and when they realized that what was promised was not real.

The youngest Armenian political party in Cyprus is SDHP Hunchakian, which was set up on the island in 2005, following the split within the AGBU, which was brought about by the decision to close the Melkonian Educational Institute. It must be noted, though, that as Cyprus was frequently used as a stepping stone for some European Armenian fedayees who had Asia Minor and Cilicia as their final destination during the late 19th century and the early 20th century, a small number of the party's members temporarily stayed on the island during those times. SDHP Hunchakian is affiliated with the “Nor Serount” Cultural Association in Nicosia.

The Armenian-Cypriot community has been actively engaged in Panarmenian issues, such as the organisation of demonstrations and other forms of protest on matters that pertain to all Armenians. Other than promoting awareness and recognition of the Armenian Genocide, which is more extensively examined below, the Armenian-Cypriot community has been lobbying successfully in favour of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, as a result of which a Cypriot politicians and EuroMPs are sympathetic towards its existence. During the last decade, the Armenian-Cypriot community was actively involved in the movement to raise awareness on the unilateral closure of the Melkonian Educational Institute by the AGBU (2004–2005), the Armenia-Turkey protocols and the extradition of Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan (2012), as well as in events commemorating Hrant Dink's memory, organised every year since his murder in 2007.

Finally, in recent years the Armenian-Cypriot community has been providing financial and humanitarian aid to Armenians in need around the world: it has provided assistance to earthquake-stricken Armenians in Armenia, after the 1988 earthquake, to orphans in Nagorno-Karabakh, to Armenians in Lebanon, Armenians in Greece and Armenians in Syria, as well as to Armenians in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, through the “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund.

Armenian Genocide recognition

On the level of the ordinary people, most Cypriots are aware of the great calamity the Armenian nation suffered during 1894–1923 and have always been supportive and sympathetic towards Armenians; the Armenian Genocide refugees who remained in Cyprus were in the unique position of escaping from Ottoman Turks and living amicably amongst Turkish-Cypriots.

Cyprus has been one of the pioneering countries in recognising the Armenian Genocide, when on 25 January 1965 Foreign Minister Spyros Kyprianou first raised the issue to the General Assembly of the United Nations. Prior to his powerful speech, a delegation comprising ARF Dashnaktsoutiun Bureau members Dr. Papken Papazian and Berj Missirlian, as well as Armenian National Committee of Cyprus members Anania Mahdessian and Vartkes Sinanian, handed him a memorandum urging Cyprus' support in raising the issue at the United Nations.^[13]

Cyprus was also the first European country (and the second world-wide, after Uruguay) to officially recognise the Armenian Genocide. On 24 April 1975, after the determined efforts and the submission by Representative Dr. Antranik L. Ashdjian, Resolution 36 was voted unanimously by the House of Representatives. Representative Aram Kalaydjian was instrumental in passing unanimously through the House of Representatives two more resolutions regarding the Armenian Genocide: Resolution 74/29–04–1982, submitted by the Foreign Relations' Parliamentary Committee, and Resolution 103/19–04–1990, submitted by all parliamentary parties. Resolution 103 declared 24 April as a National Remembrance Day of the Armenian Genocide in Cyprus.

Since 1965, when Cypriot government officials started participating in the annual Armenian Genocide functions, Cyprus' political leaders are often keynote speakers in those functions organised to commemorate the Armenian Genocide. Over the last years, there is usually a march starting from the centre of Nicosia and ending at the Virgin Mary church in Strovolos, where a commemorative event takes place in front of the Armenian Genocide Monument; other events also take place, such as blood donations.

Social life

The Armenian-Cypriot community has traditionally had an active and structured social life. Various charity, cultural, educational and social events are organised, such as fund-raisers/bazaars, art/book exhibitions, dancing/theatre performances, balls, lunches, film screenings, camps/excursions in Cyprus and abroad (panagoum), as well as lectures and commemoration ceremonies regarding Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian Diaspora and the Armenian Genocide.

The main venue for community events is the AYMA club and the “Vahram Utidjian” Hall, at the basement of the Armenian Prelature building, both in Strovolos, Nicosia. In the past, numerous events were organised at the Melkonian Educational Institute in Aglandjia, the hall of the Armenian Club in Nicosia or the hall of the old AGBU club in Nicosia. School events take place at the open amphitheatre or the newly-built auditorium of Nicosia's Nareg Armenian School. More recently, some community events have been organised at the Larnaca Armenian Club or Limassol's Armenian church hall.

Originally, the Armenian church was a shack which was transferred in late 1959 from a British camp to the west of Nicosia, called Wayne's Keep, and was re-assembled by contractor Evagoras Constantinou. It was renovated in the early 1970s, under the care of George Didonian and had been used by the local AGBU chapter until 2002; it underwent radical restoration in 2009, with expenses by the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus and on 8 May 2010 it was inaugurated by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian and Representative Vartkes Mahdessian. Since then, it is jointly used by the church, the local AGBU chapter and LHEM.

The “Vahram Utidjian” Hall (“Վահրամ Իւթիւճեան” Սրահ) took shape in 1998 by initiative of Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian, from the proceeds of the auction in 1994 of the art collection that antiques' collector Vahram Utidjian had donated to the Prelature in 1954. It was inaugurated on 3 February 1999 by Catholicos Aram I. Inside the Hall, there is a large painting by John Guevherian and Sebouh Abcarian, celebrating the 1700 years of Christianity in Armenia. On top of the shelter covering the entrance to the “Vahram Utidjian” Hall, there is a reddish tuff stone inscription in Armenian reading:

Իւթիւճեան Սրահ 1998 Utidjian Hall

Present organisations

Currently, the following Armenian clubs operate in Cyprus:

• AYMA [Armenian Young Men’s Association/Հայ Երիտասարդաց Միութիւն (Hay Yeridasartats Mioutiun)]. Established by a group of young Armenian men in Nicosia in October 1934, it is the leading Armenian-Cypriot club and the centre of the social, sports and cultural life of the Armenian-Cypriot community. After it was housed in various rented places, it acquired its own club house in 1961 in Tanzimat street, purchased for the sum of £6.000. As the club house was taken over during the 1963–1964 Turkish-Cypriot mutiny, AYMA became a victim to the Turks, as was the rest of the historical Armenian Quarter of Nicosia. It was then housed in various rented places. Its own premises, built between 1985–1986 by architects Marios & Nicos Santamas, are located at the corner of Alasia and Valtetsi streets, near the Virgin Mary church in Strovolos, Nicosia, on land leased by the government (Decision of the Council of Ministers 21.188/17–12–1981), and were inaugurated on 30 May 1987 by President Spyros Kyprianou. There is a well-organised library room at the club house. Its renovated and expanded functions hall was inaugurated on 28 February 2010 by Representative Vartkes Mahdessian. AYMA is affiliated with the Homenetmen Panarmenian organisation.

In front of AYMA's club house, there is a white marble tomb-ossuary containing some Armenian Genocide martyrs' remains brought to Cyprus by an Armenian Youth Federation mission from the Der Zor desert in Syria in 2001; it was constructed by members of the Armenian Youth Federation and was unveiled on 28 April 2002 by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian.

To the left of the wall before the clubs entrance, there is a composition of tiles with AYMA's emblem bearing the following dedication in Armenian:

Յիշատակ Պետրոսեան ընտանիքի կողմէ 1991 (In memory of Bedrossian family 1991)

• AGBU [Armenian General Benevolent Union/Հայկական Բարեգործական Ընդհանուր Միութիւն (Haygagan Parekordzagan Enthanour Mioutiun)], with chapters in Nicosia (1913), Larnaca (1912) and Limassol (1936). The Nicosia AGBU acquired its own premises in 1957, when entrepreneur Movses Soultanian donated a 3-storey building in Victoria street. As the club house was taken over during the 1963–1964 Turkish-Cypriot mutiny, the Nicosia AGBU became a victim to the Turks, as was the rest of the historical Armenian Quarter of Nicosia. It was then housed in various rented places, until its club house was built between 1987–1988 by architects Iacovos & Andreas Philippou next to the Melkonian Educational Institute. The Larnaca AGBU is one of the oldest chapters in the world; as of 1972, it was housed in various rented places, until it built its own premises in 1975, located opposite the District Archaeological Museum. Between 2010–2011 a new club house was built by architect Meroujan Sarkissian. The Limassol chapter currently has no club house; as of 1959 and until 2002, it was housed at the Limassol Armenian church hall. There was also a chapter in Famagusta (1949–1974), with no club house. Both the Nicosia and the Larnaca AGBU have got big libraries and they are branches of the AGBU Panarmenian organisation. As of 1955, there is also AGBU's auxiliary body, the Women's Union [Տիկնանց Մարմին (Dignants Marmin)].

The Nicosia premises, in Limassol Avenue in Aglandjia, were inaugurated on 22 October 1989 by AGBU President Alec Manougian, while the new Larnaca premises, built between 2010–2011 in Kilkis street, were inaugurated on 5 May 2011 by President Demetris Christofias. To the side of the Nicosia club house, the sandstone bust of AGBU's founder Boghos Noubar Pasha was placed in 1991. Inside the Nicosia AGBU functions' hall, there is a white marble commemorative plaque in Armenian reading:

Ի յիշատակ Կարապետ եւ Եղիա Գըրպըյըքեաններու նուիրատուութեամբ Պօղոս Գըրպըյըքեանի Մարտ 1998 (In memory of Garabed and Yeghia Kerbeykian by donation of Boghos Kerbeykian March 1998)

Inside the Larnaca AGBU, there is a black granite commemorative plaque in Greek reading:

Η τελετή εγκαινίων του Αρμενικού Πολιτιστικού Κέντρου έγινε στις 5 Μαΐου 2011 από τον Εξοχότατο Πρόεδρο της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας κ. Δημήτρη Χριστόφια επί δημαρχίας Ανδρέα Μωϋσέως (The inaugural ceremony of the Armenian Cultural Centre took place on 5 May 2011 by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Cyprus Mr Demetris Christofias during the mayorship of Andreas Moyseos)

• Armenian Club [Հայ Ակումբ (Hay Agoump)], which was established in Larnaca in 1931. It has had an important contribution to Armenian cultural life in Larnaca. As of 2010, it is housed in rented premises at Holy Bishopric square, opposite the Prelature of Citium. It is affiliated with AYMA.
• LHEM [Limassol Armenian Young Men’s Association/Լիմասոլի Հայ Երիտասարդաց Միութիւն (Limasoli Hay Yeridasartats Mioutiun)]. Established in Limassol in 1996, Since 2001, it has no club house. It is affiliated with AYMA.
• “Nor Serount” Cultural Association [“Նոր Սերունդ” Մշակութային Միոեթիւն (“Nor Serount” Mshagoutayin Mioutiun)]. Established in Nicosia in 2005, it is housed in rented premises in Aglandjia Avenue since 2012. It is affiliated with the Homenmen Panarmenian organisation.
• Cypriot Armenian Progressive Movement [Կիպրահայ Յառաջդիմական Շարժում (Gibrahay Harachtimagan Sharjoum)]. It was established in Nicosia in 2010 and it is more like a movement than an association, with no club house.

The following associations operate within AYMA’s club house:

• Armenian National Committee of Cyprus [Կիպրոսի Հայ Դատի Յանձնախումբ (Gibrosi Hay Tadi Hantsnakhoump), 1965]. It provides general enlightenment regarding the Armenian Genocide and other matters regarding Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora.
• Armenian Youth Federation of Cyprus [Կիպրոսի Երիտասարդական Միութիւն (Gibrosi Yeridasartagan Mioutiun), 1977]. It edifies children, teenagers and young adults.
• “Azadamard” Armenian Youth Centre [Ազատամարտ Երիտասարդակամ Կեդրոն (Azadamard Yeridasartagan Getron), 1985]. It is responsible for the publication of the “Artsakank” newspaper.
• Armenian Relief Society of Cyprus [Հայ Օգնութեան Միութիւն (Hay Oknoutian Mioutiun), also known as HOM (ՀՕՄ), “Sosse” chapter, 1988]. It is a women's charity organization, which sends help to Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and the Armenian Diaspora.
• Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Association of Cyprus [Համազգային Հայ Կրթական եւ Մշակութային Միութիւն (Hamazkayin Hay Grtagan yev Mshagoutayin Mioutiun), “Oshagan” chapter, 1999]. It organizes various cultural events, such as dance and theatre performances, art exhibitions, lectures etc.

AYMA used to have a widely-known football team (1945-2011), which between 2002-2011 played in the second category of the amateur league. It currently has a football academy (2011), a bowling team (2011) and a ping-pong academy (2012). AYF has the “Koyamard” (Գոյամարտ) youth group and the “Artsakh” (Արցախ) teenage group (both in 1977). Hamazkayin has the well-known “Sipan” dancing group (Սիփան: 2000), the “Timag” theatre company (Դիմակ: 2000) and the “Ardoudig” junior choir (Արտուտիկ: 2011); Sipan's annual dance performance has become very popular during the last years. The AGBU has the strong futsal team AGBU-Ararat (1999), which since 2002 has been leading the first league, as well as an U–17 team (2010) and an U–21 team (2011). The Nor Serount Cultural Association has got the Homenmen futsal team (2006), as of 2011 playing in the third league.

In Nicosia, there is also the Sourp Asdvadzadzin church choir (Սուրբ Աստւոածածին եկեղեցւոյ երգչախումբ: 1921), under the auspices of the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus, and the “Nanor” junior dancing group (Նանոր: 2008), under the auspices of the Office of the Armenian MP.

Finally, the following foundations operate within the Armenian-Cypriot community:

• Kalaydjian Foundation [Գալայճեան Հիմնարկոըթիւն (Kalaydjian Himnargoutiun), Larnaca: 1984].
• “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund [“Հայաստան” Համահայկական Հիմնադրամ (“Hayastan” Hamahaygagan Himnatram), Nicosia: 1995].
• Pharos Arts Foundation [Ίδρυμα Τεχνών Φάρος (Idryma Technon Pharos), Nicosia: 1998].
• Arev Benevolent Foundation [Արեւ Բարեսիրական Հիմնարկութիւն (Arev Paresiragan Himnargoutiun), Nicosia: 2008].

The Kalaydjian Foundation manages the Kalaydjian Rest Home for the Elderly [Գալայճեան Հանգստեան Տուն (Kalaydjian Hankisdian Doun)] (Nicosia: 1988), which also houses Greek-Cypriot elderly. The Kalaydjian Rest Home for the Elderly was built on land leased by the government in Corinth street in Strovolos, Nicosia and it is one of the few purposely-built nursing homes in Cyprus. Its foundation stone was laid on 1 August 1987 by brothers Aram and Bedros Kalaydjian in memory of their parents, Roupen and Marie Kalaydjian, and its inauguration took place on 6 March 1988 by Minister of Interior Christodoulos Veniamin. The architects of the building were Athos Dikaios & Alkis Dikaios.

By initiative of the two brothers and in order to address the spiritual needs of its residents, on 15 December 1995 Catholicos Aram I laid the foundation stone for the Holy Saviour of All chapel; Catholicos Aram I consecrated the chapel on 16 February 1997. In 2005 the Rest Home underwent a major renovation and expansion with a second floor. The official inauguration of the new floor took place on 28 June 2006 by President Tassos Papadopoulos. The new floor is called “Alice and Arousiag Raphaelian” wing, after the sisters Arousiag and Alice Rafaelian, who bequeathed their house in Armenia street to the Kalaydjian Foundation.

The Kalaydjian Rest Home for the Elderly originally consisted of 12 rooms that surrounded a central courtyard. There was also a large dining area and a sitting room with a library. After the renovation, ten more rooms were added, as well as a large sitting room. The government contributed €170.000 to the project, against a total cost of about €700.000.

To the left outside the main entrance there is a black granite plaque reading:

Μέλαθρον Ευγηρίας Καλαϊτζιάν (in Greek) Գալայճեան Հանգստեան Տուն (in Armenian) Kalaydjian Rest Home (in English)

On the left of the lobby inside the main entrance there is another black granite commemorative plaque featuring a khachkar (cross-stone) and bearing the following inscription in Armenian:

Գալայճեան Հանգստեան Տուն ի յիշատակ Ռուբէն եւ Մարի Գալայճեաններու իրենց զաւակաց Պետրոսի եւ Արամի կողմէ – 1 օգոստոս (sic) 1987 (Kalaydjian Rest Home in memory of Roupen and Marie Kalaydjian by their children Bedros and Aram – 1 August 1987)

On the entrance to the second floor, under the framed photographs of Alice and Arousiag Raphaelian, there is the following plexiglas inscription:

Πτέρυγα Αρουσιάκ και Αλίς Ραφαελιάν (in Greek) Արուսեակ եւ Ալիս Ռաֆայէլեան Յարկաբաժին (in Armenian) Arousiag and Alice Raphaelian Wing (in English)

There is also the Middle East/Near East Armenian Research Centre, established in 1996 by Vartan Malian, located in Germanos Patron street, within the walled city of Nicosia, it houses a reference library and archival material in various languages. The Centre has undertaken the translation, in English and Greek, of books about the Armenian Genocide.

Previous organisations

From the various old, defunct clubs and associations, the following are notable:

• Armenian Club [Հայ Ակումբ (Hay Agoump), Nicosia: 1902–1963]. This club was established by local Armenian-Cypriots and was one of the oldest social clubs in Nicosia. It had a large library and functions' hall. As it became a victim to the Turks, its members mostly joined the AGBU club in Nicosia.
• Armenian Readers' Association [Հայ Ընթեռցասիրաց Միութիւն (Hay Entertsasirats Mioutiun), Nicosia: 1903–1963]. This was an auxiliary section of the Armenian Club.
• Armenian Women's Association [Հայուհեաց Միութիւն (Hayouhiats Mioutiun), Nicosia: 1916–1963]. This was an auxiliary section of the Armenian Club.
• Armenian Bibliophiles' Association [Հայ Գրասիրաց Միութիւն (Hay Krasirats Mioutiun), Larnaca: 1923–1931]. This association was established by Armenian Genocide refugees and was subsequently transformed into the Larnaca Armenian Club.
• Armenophony Association [Հայախօս Միութիւն (Hayakhos Mioutiun), Larnaca: 1923–1929]. This association was established by Manuel Kassouni, a teacher at the American Academy, in order to promote Armenophony amongst its students. Subsequently, its members joined the Armenian Bibliophiles' Association.
• Armenian Women's Association [Հայուհեաց Միութիւն (Hayouhiats Mioutiun), Larnaca: 1925–1931]. This was an auxiliary section of the Armenian Bibliophiles' Association.
• Armenian Ladies' Association [Հայ Տիկնանց Միութիւն (Hay Dignangts Mitouiun), Limassol: 1934–1951]. This club was dissolved due to the small number of members.
• Cilician Women's Association [Կիլիկիոյ Տիկնանց Միութիւն (Giligio Dignants Mioutiun), Nicosia: 1938–1949]. This association was established by a group of Armenian-Cypriot women and was subsequently transformed into the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Association, at the instigation of Peglar Navasartian.
• Friends of Armenian Association [Հայաստանի Բարեկամաց Միութիւն (Hayastani Paregamats Mioutiun), Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol, Famagusta: 1944–1948]. This very active association was formed by AGBU supporters sympathetic to the cause of the nerkaght (ներգամթ – repatriation) movement. During the years it operated, it had its own sports teams, choir/band and newspapers, organising a variety of events. After it was decided that Cyprus would not be part of the nerkaght movement, the association died out and its members mostly joined the AGBU clubs in Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol and Famagusta.
• Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Association [Համազգային Հայ Կրթական եւ Մշակութային Միութիւն (Hamazkayin Hay Grtagan yev Mshagoutayin Mioutiun), Nicosia: 1949–1997]. This association, affiliated with AYMA, was dissolved because of internal disputes and was re-organised in 1999.
• New Armenian Club [Նոր Հայկական Ակումբ (Nor Haygagan Agoump), Larnaca: 1959–1972]. This club was formed by a group of AGBU supporters. Subsequently, it was absorbed by the Larnaca AGBU.
• “Azadamard” Youth Centre [“Ազատամարտ” Երիտասարդակամ Կեդրոն (“Azadamard” Yeridasartagan Getron), Nicosia: 1985–1997]. This association, which sprang off from AYMA, due to internal disputes, returned back to AYMA, as a distinct entity.
• “Stepan Shahoumian” Progressive Movement [“Ստեփան Շահումեան” Յառաջդիմական Շարժում (“Sdepan Shahoumian” Harachtimagan Sharjoum), Nicosia: 1994–2010]. This movement started at the instigation of Sergey Badalyan. Subsequently, it was transformed into the Cypriot Armenian Progressive Movement.
• Cyprus-Armenia Friendship Association [Σύνδεσμος Φιλίας Κύπρου-Αρμενίας (Syndesmos Philias Kyprou-Armenias), Nicosia: 1997–2006]. This association started at the instigation of Bedros Kalaydjian and its members were equally Armenian-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots.

Until 1998, the Armenian Ethnarchy of Cyprus used to have the Armenian Charity Board [Հայ Աղքատախնամ Մարմին (Hay Aghkadakhnam Marmin)] in Nicosia and the Women's Charity Association [Տիկնանց Աղքատախնամ Միութիւն (Dignants Aghkadakhnam Mioutiun)] in Larnaca and Limassol.

Past and present fields of activity

Armenian-Cypriots have also been active in the following fields, especially in the past:

Music: The Melkonian Educational Institute was known for its choir and band, both founded by musician and composer Vahan Bedelian. Their recitals were often attended by the High Commissioner/Governor or the President; in later years, Sebouh Abcarian became its conductor. The Melikian-Ouzounian National School also had a band founded and conducted by Vahan Bedelian (1926–1941); in 1927, the exile “King of Arabia”, Shariff of Mecca Hussein bin Ali, purchased new musical instruments for it. In the mid–1940s, AYMA had the “Gomidas” church choir, founded and conducted by Sdepan Darakdjian, later archpriest Vazken Sandrouni. AYMA, AGBU and the Friends of Armenia Association (Paregamats) also had their amateur dance, choir and/or band ensembles. Other than Vahan Bedelian and Sebouh Abcarian, amongst well-known Armenian-Cypriot musicians were cellist Hayrabed Torossian (†) and violinist Ara Vorsganian, both veterans of the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, violinist Manoug Parikian (†) (United Kingdom) and the violinists Haroutune Bedelian (California) and Levon Chilingirian (United Kingdom), as well as singers Hovig Demirjian and Gore Melian, and pianist and soprano Sona Gargaloyan (all in Nicosia).

Scouting: The Melkonian Educational Institute had the historical 7th Cyprus Scout Group (1931/1932–2006), established by Headmaster Krikor Giragossian, Chief Scouts Major Onnig Cowan and Hagop Palamoudian and professors Levon Apkarian, Kersam Aharonian, Parounag Tovmassian and Vahan Bedelian. AYMA had the 77th Cyprus Scout Group (1959–1974 and 1986–1990), established by AYMA's Chairman Anania Mahdessian and Chief Scouts Hagop Palamoudian and Artin Anmahouni. The Nicosia Armenian school had the 4th Cyprus Scout Group (1937–1963, 1966–1982 and 1996–2000), while the Larnaca Armenian school had the 11th Cyprus Scout Group (1938–1959 and 1997–2001). Previously, there were other Scout groups [e.g. Homenetmen Scouts, (Larnaca: 1920–1922 and Nicosia: 1925–1930)], the Larnaca Armenian school Scouts (1927–1930) and the 12th Cyprus Scout Group (Nicosia: 1936–1947), founded by Chief Scout Hagop Palamoudian. As most Scout groups were mixed, there were only two guide groups: 8th Cyprus Guide Group (Melikian-Ouzounian: 1949–1963) and 9th Cyprus Guide Group (Melkonian: 1950–2005). Three distinguished Armenian-Cypriot Scouts and Guides are worth special mention^[why?]: Hagop Palamoudian, the first General Commissioner of the Cyprus Scouts Association (1960–1962); Takouhy Devledian, amongst the founders of the Girl Guides Association of Cyprus, served as its General Commissioner (1987–1990); Artin Anmahouni, currently the oldest active Scout in Cyprus, is as of 1965 Honorary Commissioner of Armenian Scouts in Cyprus.^{[citation needed]}

Football: The Gaydzak (Կայծակ=Lightning) team (Nicosia: 1930–1931) became Cyprus’ first cup holder in 1931. AYMA’s football team (established in 1945 and suspended in 2011) was well-known amongst Cypriots, as it played in the first category (1947–1956 and 1960–1962); among its players were Armenian Archbishop of Greece, Sahag Ayvazian (†), and the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Marios Garoyian. Other Armenian-Cypriot football teams were the ones of the Melkonian Educational Institute (1926–2005), of Homenetmen (1927–1928), Ararat (Արարատ) (1938–1940), Gaydzak (1943–1944 and 1960–1962, affiliated with the Armenian Club in Nicosia) and Nor Gaydzak (Նոր Կայծակ=New Gaydzak) (1944–1948, affiliated with the Friends of Armenia Association); after Nor Gaydzak stopped, some of its players found themselves in the first team of Omonia, such as Sarkis Bedigian (known by his nickname “Kilis”) and Dickran Missirian. A notable Armenian-Cypriot football coach was Aram Chaderdjian, who served as coach to Anorthosis and Nea Salamina.

Other sports: The Melkonian Educational Institute used to have volleyball and basketball teams (the latter won the first basketball championship in Cyprus, 1949–1950). The Friends of Armenia Association had a volleyball team. AYMA at times had ping-pong, darts, hockey and basketball teams; AYMA’s hockey team was established in 1945 and was for three consecutive years champion (1951–1954). The AGBU used to have women’s basketball and ping-pong teams. Of the various Armenian-Cypriot sportsmen in Cyprus, the most distinguished are rally driver Vahan Terzian (†), veteran tennis umpire Kevork Palandjian and tennis player Haig Ashdjian.

Printing: As with photography, there was also an increased number of Armenian printers, in Nicosia and Larnaca. Historically, the first Armenian printer in Cyprus was Vahan Kurkjian (Pagouran). Pagouran set up his printing press in Nicosia as part of the National Educational Orphanage (1897–1904) and printed, amongst others, “Կիպրոս Կղզի” [(Gibros Geghzi) Island of Cyprus]: 1903); the book is the first of many books dealing with the history of the Armenian-Cypriot community. Later on came Mardiros Mosditchian (Larnaca), Manuel Kassouni (Larnaca), Messia Ohanian (Larnaca), Maxoud Maxoudian (Nicosia), Setrak Guebenlian (Nicosia), Haig Mosditchian (Larnaca) and Garabed Papazian (Larnaca), while during the 1940s–1950s there was a small printing press at the Melkonian Educational Institute. Some of the aforementioned printed their own newspapers, such as Arax (Արաքս by Mardiros Mosditchian), Lousarpi (Լուսարփի by Manuel Kassouni), Ovasis (Ովասիս by Maxoud Maxoudian), Nor Arax (Նոր Արաքս by Haig Mosditchian), Henaran (Յենարան by Setrak Guebenlian) and Deghegadou (Տեղեկատու by Garabed Papazian). It should also be mentioned that Armenians were the first ones to introduce zincography in Cyprus.

Photography: Even though Armenians did not introduce photography in Cyprus, they improved the craft significantly and were the first ones to massively use retouching to produce coloured photos at a time where photographic lenses could record images only in black and white. There was a disproportionately large number of Armenian amateur and professional photographers active in Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Famagusta. The most significant of these were Artin Anmahouni (Nicosia), Vahan Avedissian (Nicosia), Ardashes Bastadjian (Limassol), Diran Der Avedissian (Nicosia), Georges Der Parthogh (Nicosia), Hovhannes Gulian (Famagusta), Souren Keshishian (Larnaca), Hagop Kozalian (Famagusta), Haigaz Mangoian (Nicosia), Mardiros Mosditchian (Larnaca), Mateos Papazian (Nicosia), Minas Tilbian (Larnaca), Edward Voskeritchian (Limassol) and Giragos Zartarian (Nicosia). Their photographs are an indelible witness to the beauty of yesterday's Cyprus and constitute a window to times long gone. Today, only the descendants of the Mangoian and Voskeritchian families continue the photographic trade, in Nicosia and Limassol, respectively.

Painting: Generally speaking, Armenian-Cypriot painters have not been recognised outside the community, with the exception of world-renowned John Guevherian and Vartan Tashdjian, both based in Nicosia. Well-known Armenian-Cypriot painters, based either in Cyprus or abroad, include Garbis Bezdigian (†) and Manoug Mangaldjian (†), as well as Sebouh Abcarian (Gyumri), Manouk Baghdjian (London), Sossee Eskidjian-Nikolaides (Nicosia), Tatiana Ferahian (Limassol), Therese Kasparian-Petridou (Nicosia), Sevan Malikyan (Larnaca and London), Aznive Papazian (Nicosia), Anahid Nassibian-Sarkissian (Nicosia), Alidz Sarkissian (Nicosia), Hovsep Sarkissian (California), Hourig Torossian (Nicosia) and Nanor Tashdjian (Cardiff). By initiative of the Armenian Representative, Vartkes Mahdessian, a unique painting and photography exhibition was organised within the framework of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The exhibition, at the superb "Castelliotissa" Mediaeval Hall in Nicosia, was inaugurated by President Demetris Christofias on 16 July 2012 and it remained open until 31 July 2012.^[14]

Armenian cuisine: As previously mentioned, it was Armenians who first introduced Armenian bastourma, baklava, dried apricots, gassosa, gyros, halva, ice cubes, koubes, lahmadjoun, lokmadhes and pompes into the Cypriot cuisine – all very popular today. Between the 1920s and the 1960s, two Armenian-Cypriots were well-known in Nicosia for their Armenian delicacies: Moushegh Betchakdjian (also known as Moushegh Ashdji) and Krikor Kouyoumdjian (also known as Krikor Lokmadji). Betchakdjian was the first to introduce gyros, lokmadhes and baklava in Cyprus, and his restaurant was the first to serve Armenian and other Oriental foods in Cyprus. Kouyoumdjian, on the other hand, serving exclusively lokmadhes for nearly 4 decades, gave his name to the Lokmadji area, off Ledra street. After 1963, many Armenian restaurants and fast-food places opened, mainly in Nicosia and Larnaca. Presently, the most significant ones are “Το Αρμενάκι” (Garabed Manougian, 1970s - Nicosia), “Armenian Food” (Mgrditch Gosdanian, 1970s - Nicosia), “Maklavs Food Industry” (Movses Makamian, 1990s - Larnaca, also a food factory) and “Avo” (Avo Bahdjedjian, 2000s - Nicosia.

Legal status and representation

With the Independence of Cyprus, on 16 August 1960, under Article 2 § 3 of the Constitution, the Armenians, the Latins and the Maronites were recognised as “religious groups”. In the referendum held on 13 November 1960, all three religious groups opted to belong to the co-religious Greek-Cypriot community (as it was expected), something which consequently defined their political options in the game of inter-communal controversy and somewhat affected their relations with the Turkish-Cypriots, who in turn viewed them as an extension of the Greek-Cypriot political choices. This is why the religious groups were treated similarly or even worse during the inter-communal troubles (1963–1964) and the brutal and unlawful Turkish invasion (1974).

Article 110 § 3 recognises the administrative autonomy of the religious groups’ Churches, as it was established with the Hatt-ı Hümayun in 1856. According to Article 111, the three Churches retain their powers regarding matters of personal status. Law 95/1989 transferred the jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical courts to the family courts, the configuration of which was defined by Law 87(I)/1994; of the three religious groups, only the Armenians participate in their workings.

In accordance with the provisions of Article 109 of the Constitution, Armenian-Cypriots were given political representation: as a result of their choice to belong to the Greek-Cypriot community, an Armenian and a Latin participated in the Nicosia members of the Greek Communal Chamber, while a Maronite participated in the Kyrenia members (Colonial Law 36/1959, Colonial Law 6/1960 and Greek Communal Chamber Law 8/1960). The two Communal Chambers, which acted as a Lower Parliament, had jurisdiction over all religious, educational, cultural and other affairs of communal nature (Article 87).

With the secession of the Turkish-Cypriots from the common state in 1963 and the self-dissolution of the Greek Communal Chamber in 1965, it was decided to transfer the executive powers of the Greek Communal Chamber to the newly-formed Ministry of Education and its legislative powers to the House of Representatives (Law 12/1965). According to the Decision of the Council of Ministers 4.907/29–07–1965, it was decided that the three Representatives would provisionally continue to represent their communities in the House on issues pertaining to the jurisdiction of their Chamber and that the House was to request their opinion before legislating on pertinent matters (Law 12/1965). In order to approximate the tenure of the other MPs, the term of the three Representatives was annually extended (Law 45/1965, Law 49/1966, Law 50/1967, Law 87/1968 and Law 58/1969). The status of the three Representatives’ status in the House of Representatives was confirmed with Law 58/1970 and furthermore specified with Law 38/1976, Law 41/1981 and Law 66(I)/2011. As of 1991, the elections for the three Representatives are held simultaneously and in parallel with the general parliamentary elections and the Representatives’ term is identical with that of the proper MPs (Law 70/1986).

The Representatives act as liaisons between their communities and the state and they are par excellence competent to bring before the state all issues relating to their group. Their participation has a 5-year duration and a consultative character, as although they can express their views on matters relating to their group, they do not have the right to vote. Especially in the case of the Armenians, the Representative delivers a speech about the Armenian Genocide during the plenary session of the House convened on or near the 24 April each year. So far, six (6) Armenian Representatives have served: Berge Tilbian from Nicosia (1960–1970), Dr. Antranik L. Ashdjian from Nicosia (1970–1982), Aram Kalaydjian from Larnaca (1982–1995), Bedros Kalaydjian from Larnaca (1995–2005), Dr. Vahakn Atamyan from Nicosia (2005–2006) and Vartkes Mahdessian from Nicosia (2006–today).

The Representatives enjoy the same privileges as the other MPs (non-liability, immunity, remuneration, tax exemptions etc.), they attend the plenary sessions of the House, they participate in the Parliamentary Committee for Education and the Consultative Committee for Private Education of the Ministry of Education and Culture (since 1970), while as of 1999 they appoint the Elder MP of their group. Although they can express their views on matters relating to their group, they do not have the right to vote. Additionally, the Armenian and the Maronite Representatives consult with the Minister of Education and Culture, in relation to the latter's suggestion to the Council of Ministers regarding the appointment of the Armenian Schools' Committee and the Maronite Schools' Committee [Law 103(I)/1999].

As of 1998, the elected Representative is ex officio member of the Diocesan Council (Թեմական Ժողով) of the Armenian Ethnarchy (Ազգային Իշխանութիւն).

Elections

The first historical elections for the Armenian member of the Greek Communal Chamber took place on 5 August 1960 between Vahram Levonian and Berge Tilbian, who was elected after receiving 60,49% (1364 votes). Between 1965–1970, the term of office for the Armenian, the Maronite and the Latin Representatives was extended by special laws, until Law 58/1970 was enacted, properly including them in the House of Representatives. The second elections were held on 19 July 1970 between Berge Tilbian and Dr. Antranik L. Ashdjian, who was elected after receiving 56,30% (590 votes); Dr. Antranik L. Ashdjian was re-elected on 3 October 1976, with Aram Kalaydjian as his opponent, after receiving 50,96% (612 votes).

The next elections were held on 14 March 1982 between Dr. Antranik L. Ashdjian and Aram Kalaydjian, who secured 58.36% (771 votes); Aram Kalaydjian was re-elected on 13 July 1986, with Anna Ashdjian as his opponent, after securing 65,08% (792 votes), and again on 19 May 1991, again winning over Anna Ashdjian and receiving 67,00% (875 votes). Because of Aram Kalaydjian's death on 10 September 1995, a by-election was held on 22 October 1995, between Kevork Mahdessian and Bedros Kalaydjian, who won with 60,34% (849 votes). Bedros Kalaydjian was re-elected on 26 May 1996, securing 73,91% (997 votes) against Anna Ashdjian and again on 27 May 2001, receiving 57,13% (857 votes) against Dr. Garabed Khatcho-Kazandjian.

Because of Bedros Kalaydjian's death on 1 September 2005, a by-election was held on 9 October 2005, with Dr. Vahakn Atamyan receiving 52,03% (769 votes) against Dr. Antranik Ashdjian (43,91%) and Parsegh Zartarian (4,12%). The next elections took place on 21 May 2006, with Vartkes Mahdessian receiving 52,60% (899 votes) against Dr. Vahakn Atamyan. The most recent elections were held on 22 May 2011, with Vartkes Mahdessian securing 67,67% (1.105 votes) against Dr. Antranik Ashdjian.

Although not elected, the Armenians in Nicosia also have a mukhtar, appointed by the Ministry of Interior. The first mukhtar was Melik Melikian (1927–1949), succeeded by Kasbar Delyfer (1949–1956) and Vahe Kouyoumdjian (1956–2009). As of 1 January 2011, the current Armenian mukhtar is Mgo Kouyoumdjian.

Religion

Like most communities of the Armenian Diaspora, the Armenian-Cypriot community is predominantly Armenian Apostolic (about 95%). Some 5% belong either to the Armenian Evangelical Church, the Armenian Catholic Church, the Latin Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church, the Plymouth Brethren Church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church or they are Jehovah's Witnesses; of this 5%, the most significant group has historically been the Armenian Evangelical Church, which in the 1940s and 1950s comprised about 10% of the Armenian-Cypriot community.

Armenian Prelature of Cyprus

The Armenian Prelature of Cyprus (Առաջնորդարան Հայոց Կիպրոսի) was established in 973 by Catholicos Khatchig I and ever since it has maintained a continuous presence on the island. In the years that followed, some of its Prelates participated in important church synods, such as Tateos (who participated in the Council of Hromkla in 1179), Nigoghaos (who participated in the Synod of Sis in 1307) and Krikor (who participated in a conference of Greek Orthodox Bishops in Cyprus in 1340). The antiquity of the Armenian Church in Cyprus was confirmed by a bull of Pope Leo I, which was issued in 1519 after multiple discords, according to which the Armenian Prelate would be senior to and take precedence over the Maronite, Jacobite and Coptic Prelates.

Historically, the Prelature has been under the jurisdiction of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, while today it is the oldest theme that falls under its jurisdiction. In the past, for various reasons, it was at times under the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem (1775–1799, 1812–1837, 1848–1861, 1865–1877, 1888–1897, 1898–1908), the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople (1799–1812, 1861–1864, 1877–1888, 1897–1898, 1908–1921), even the Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin (1864–1865). Cyprus was the place of refuge for two exile Patriarchs of Constantinople, Archbishop Tavit Areveltsi (1644-1648) and Senior Archimandrite Krikor Basmadjian (1773-1775). The current Prelate, a Catholicosal Vicar General, is as of 1997 Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian. The parish priest in Nicosia is Fr. Momik Habeshian (since 2000), while the parish priest in Larnaca and Limassol is Fr. Mashdots Ashkarian (since 1992).

For centuries, the Prelature building was located within the Armenian compound in Victoria street in walled Nicosia; when that area was taken over by Turkish-Cypriot extremists in 1963–1964, the Prelature was temporarily housed in Aram Ouzounian street (1964–1968) and, later on, inn Kyriakos Matsis street in Ayios Dhometios (1968–1984). Thanks to the efforts of Bishop Zareh Aznavorian and with financial aid from the Evangelical Church of Westphalia, the new Prelature building was erected in 1983, next to the Sourp Asdvadzadzin church and the Nareg school in Nicosia by architects Athos Dikaios & Alkis Dikaios; it was officially inaugurated on 4 March 1984, during the pastoral visit of Catholicos Karekin II. By initiative of Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian, in 1998 the basement of the building was renovated and the “Vahram Utidjian” Hall was formed; previously a store room, it became a reality from the proceeds of the auction in 1994 of the art collection that Vahram Utidjian had donated to the Prelature in 1954. It was inaugurated on 3 February 1999 by Catholicos Aram I; numerous charity, communal and cultural events take place there. The Prelature’s consistory houses a collection of ecclesiastical relics, some of which were previously in the old Sourp Asdvadzadzin church or the Magaravank.

The current Charter of the Prelature, first drafted in 1945 and ratified in 1950, consists of 102 articles and, in its present form, applies as of 3 September 2010. The administration is exercised by the Armenian Ethnarchy (Ազգային Իշխանութիւն) through the Diocesan Council (Թեմական Ժողով, consisting of the Prelate, two pastors and twelve elected lay persons) and the Administrative Council (Վարչական Ժողով, consisting of the Prelate and seven appointed lay persons), currently chaired by Sebouh Tavitian (as of 2007) and John Guevherian (as of 2011), respectively. As of 1998, the elected Representative is ex officio a member of the Diocesan Council. There are also the local parish committees (թաղական հոգաբարձութիւններ, one in Nicosia, one in Larnaca and one in Limassol), the committee for Christian instruction (Քրիստոնէական դաստիարակութեան յանձնախումբ) and the Ladies’ committee (Տիկնանց յանձնախումբ). Under the committee for Christian instruction are the Sunday schools (Կիրակնօրեայ վարժարաններ) and the youth committee (երիտասարդական յանձնախումբ).

According to the Decision of the Council of Ministers 66.589/19–12–2007, the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus receives an annual grant of €59.800 by the Republic of Cyprus; the Republic also pays the salaries of the Prelature's clergy and covers their medical expenses (Decision of the Council of Ministers 48.166/22–07–1998). The same arrangements apply for the Maronite Archbishopric of Cyprus and the Latin Vicariate of Cyprus (the latter, however, receives an annual grant of €51.260).

Armenian Evangelical Church

The first Armenian Evangelicals in Cyprus came after the arrival of the British in July 1878. As they were not committed, and very few, they quickly became associated with the Mother Church (Armenian Apostolic Church), such as Apisoghom Utidjian, the official state documents translator and the son of Stepan Utidjian, one the original founders of the Armenian Evangelical Church.

With the influx of more Protestants, Armenian Evangelicals became affiliated with the Reformed Presbyterian Church as early as 1887. Although the main centres were Nicosia and Larnaca, gatherings were occasionally held in Limassol, Famagusta and Amiandos. In Larnaca, gatherings were held at the Reformed Presbyterian Mission church (built in 1892 and re-built in 1901–1902). In Nicosia, gatherings were initially held at the Reformed Presbyterian Mission church (built in 1906–1907), until Armenian Evangelicals built their own church in 1946–1947 behind the old American Academy building, near the Arab Ahmed mosque; its foundation stone was laid on 28 July 1946 by pastor Yohanna Der Megerditchian, who dedicated it on 1 June 1947. The building was renovated in 1955, while a kitchen was added in 1959.

Armenian Evangelicals were granted provisional autonomy from the Reformed Presbyterian Mission in 1954, which was formalised in 1962. In Larnaca, as Armenian Evangelicals dwindled after the inter-communal troubles of 1963–1964, services were no longer held; in Nicosia, the Armenian Evangelical church was taken over by Turkish-Cypriot extremists during the 1963–1964 inter-communal troubles and so services were held at the American Academy chapel (built in 1955) until 1973.

After nearly 30 years of inactivity, by initiative of Nevart Kassouni-Panayiotides and Lydia Gulesserian (†) and with the help of Hrayr Jebejian, Executive Secretary of the Bible Society in the Gulf, Armenian Evangelicals were re-organised at the Greek Evangelical church in Larnaca in 2002. Since 2005, when Hrayr Jebejian moved to Cyprus, services are held every few months at the Greek Evangelical church in Nicosia. Also, the Armenian Evangelical Church organizes a few lectures in Nicosia.

Armenian Catholic Church

Armenian-Catholics first came to the island during the Frankish Era from the nearby Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. It is unclear whether they had their own structure during the Latin Era or if they were under the Latin Church of Cyprus, as has been the case since the Ottoman Era. What we do know is that Armenian-Catholics used Saint Lazarus' basilica in Larnaca, the Holy Cross church in Nicosia (probably Arablar Djami) and the Virgin Mary of the Green (de Vert) in Famagusta, which was built between 1311-1317. The only Armenian-Catholic Bishops whose names have survived until today are George Noreghes, appointed by Latin Archbishop of Cyprus Elias de Nabineaux circa 1340 and the Dominican Julio or Julian Stavriano, who served as Bishop of the Armenians (1561-1567) and later became Bishop of the Maronites; he started as Armenian Orthodox and later he embraced Catholicism. The latter's flock included about 1.000 Armenians and he used Saint Sergius' church in Famagusta.

During the Ottoman Era, there was a very limited conversion of Armenian Orthodox to Catholicism, mainly due to the proselytising activities of the Franciscan mission in Nicosia and Larnaca, especially during the 17th and 18th centuries; however, these must have been temporary conversions and their number never exceeded 50 at any given time. In 1794 the small (and perhaps newly-arrived) Armenian Catholic community of Larnaca was granted some holy chalices from the auction of the belongings of the old Capuchin monastery of the town.

It was during the British Era that the Armenian-Catholic community increased in number, due to the arrival of a large number of refugees from the Armenian Genocide (1915-1923). In 1931, there 200 Armenian-Catholics in Cyprus, rather poor, and many of them were middle-aged. Most of them became attached to the Latin places of worship, especially the Holy Cross cathedral in Nicosia and Saint Joseph's convent in Larnaca; between 1921-1923, the latter housed a small Armenian-Catholic school, run by Abbot Jean Kouyoumdjian - who served at the convent between 1921-1928. There was another Armenian-Catholic cleric, Archimandrite Arsène Khorassandjian, who also served in Larnaca (and, at times, at the Holy Cross cathedral and the Terra Santa school in Nicosia), between 1931-1959.

In 1960, there were less than 100 Armenian-Catholics. However, their number decreased in the following years, due to emigration to other countries and assimilation with the Armenian-Cypriot and/or the Greek-Cypriot community. However, due to the influx of Lebanese-Armenians to Cyprus since the mid-1970s, there has been a small increase in the number of Armenian-Catholics on the island. Currently, local Armenian-Catholics are less than 20, in addition to about 30 foreign Armenians.

Places of worship

There are five Armenian Orthodox churches in Cyprus, two in the capital Nicosia (one under Turkish occupation since 1964) and one in each Larnaca, Limassol and Famagusta; the latter has been occupied by the Turks since 1964. Additionally, there are three Armenian chapels in the vicinity of Nicosia and one within the Magaravank complex, the latter under Turkish occupation since 1974. There is also an Armenian Evangelical church in Nicosia (under Turkish occupation since 1964). Finally, there is the renowned Magaravank, under Turkish occupation occupation since 1974.

Nicosia

The building of the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus and the Virgin Mary [Սուրբ Աստուածածին (Sourp Asdvadzadzin)] cathedral are located in Armenia street, in Strovolos, Nicosia. The Prelature building was built between 1983–1984 by architects Iacovos & Andreas Philippou and was inaugurated on 4 March 1984 by Catholicos Karekin II of Cilicia. The Prelature's consistory houses a collection of ecclesiastical relics, some of which were previously kept at the Magaravank or the old Virgin Mary church; the relics are kept at a display case, donated in 1986 by brothers Garabed and Nshan Arakchindjian. The Prelature's basement houses the “Vahram Utidjian” Hall, which was inaugurated on 3 February 1999 by Catholicos Aram I. The hall, previously a store room, became a reality thanks to the initiative of Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian using proceeds from the auction in 1994 of the art collection that Vahram Utidjian had donated to the Prelature in 1954. It is one of the main venues for events of the Armenian-Cypriot community. Together with the Virgin Mary church and the Nareg Armenian School, the land was granted in trust to the community on 16 December 1966 by the government; on 10 December 1979, Strovolos Improvement Board decided to rename the road in front of the plot of land from “Cyclops street” to “Armenia street”, as a gesture of solidarity to the Armenian people. A freehold title deed on the land was granted on 31 March 1983.

The Virgin Mary cathedral was built between 1976–1981 by architects Iacovos & Andreas Philippou, with financial help from the World Council of Churches, the Evangelical Church of Westphalia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Holy Archbishopric of Cyprus and the faithful. Located next to Nareg Elementary School, its foundation stone was laid on 25 September 1976 by Archbishop Makarios III and Bishop Nerses Pakhdigian. On 16 April 1978, the Co-adjutor Catholicos Karekin II blessed the 16 columns of the church, while the inauguration and consecration of the cathedral took place on 22 November 1981 by Catholicos Khoren I and his Co-adjutor Karekin II. It is the only church in Cyprus built in a traditional Armenian style, with a central octagonal dome and a smaller dome for the bell. The church was renovated externally in late 2005 in memory of the Tutundjian family, killed in the Helios air accident, while the belfry was also repaired that year, in memory of archpriest der Vazken Sandrouni.^[7] The church was renovated internally in mid–2008. Many of its icons are the work of Lebanese-Armenian painter Zohrab Keshishian. It is interesting that just below the holy altar, there is a khachkar (cross-stone) donated by the Holy See of Etchmiadzin. Liturgies are held every Sunday. The church celebrates on the nearest Sunday to 21 November, feast day of the Presentation of Mary.

In the old Armenian cemetery, near the Ledra Palace hotel (Markos Drakos Avenue), there is the Saint Paul [Սուրբ Պօղոս (Sourp Boghos)] chapel, built in 1892 by donation of Boghos Odadjian. Left unused since the 1963–1964 intercommunal troubles, the chapel and the cemetery fell into disuse. It was restored between 2008–2009, together with the rest of the cemetery, by initiative of Representative Vartkes Mahdessian and the Armenian Ethnarchy of Cyprus. A Liturgy is held once a year since 2010. In the Armenian cemetery near Ayios Dhometios (Gregoris Afxentiou Avenue) there is the Holy Resurrection [Սուրբ Յարութիւն (Sourp Haroutiun)] chapel, built in 1938 by donation of Haroutiun Bohdjalian and consecrated in 1949 by Bishop Ghevont Chebeyan. Left unused since the 1974 Turkish invasion, it was renovated in 2010. No Liturgies have been held since 1974. Finally, the Saviour of All [Սուրբ Ամենափրկիչ (Sourp Amenapergitch)] chapel was built between 1995–1996 by architects Athos & Alkis Dikaios and by donation of Aram and Bedros Kalaydjian. Located in Corinth street in Strovolos, Nicosia, within the premises of the Kalaydjian Rest Home for the Elderly, its foundation stone was laid on 15 December 1995 by the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, Aram I, who inaugurated it on 16 February 1997. Liturgies are held regularly. ^[6]

Larnaca

The church of Saint Stephen [Սուրբ Ստեփանոս (Sourp Stepanos)], in Armenian church street in the city centre, was originally built as a chapel by the Armenian refugees who came to Larnaca after the Adana massacre in 1909. It was built as a replica of Adana's main church and was dedicated to Adana's patron Saint, Saint Stephen. However, as most of the refugees returned, the chapel was left unfinished. After a fund-raising which started on 24 October 1912, the small chapel became a church, whose construction finished on 1 April 1913.

Dedicated to the memory of the martyrs of the Adana massacre, it is the first monument in the entire Armenian Diaspora in memory of the Armenian massacres in the Ottoman Empire. On top of church's façade there is a commemorative composition featuring the Armenian ethnarch Haig, the last King of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, Levon V, a scroll held by a hand – representing the Ten Commandments - and the four symbols of the Four Evangelists.

The church was inaugurated on 20 May 1914 by Senior Archimandrite Serovpe Samvelian and was consecrated on 30 June 1918 by Archbishop Taniel Hagopian. Until the early 1940s, there was a small octagonal dome on top of the church. The church was renovated between 1956–1957 and again in 1998. To the left and the right of the entrance, there are two marble inscriptions. Liturgies are held every other Sunday, in turns with Saint George's church in Limassol. The church celebrates on 25 December, feast day of Saint Stephen.

Limassol

The church of Saint George [Սուրբ Գէորգ (Sourp Kevork)] is built in Vassilis Michaelides street near the city centre, on land donated circa 1935 by Satenig Soultanian, in memory of her father-in-law, Kevork. As the small Armenian community of Limassol could not afford to build a church, a theatre company was formed under Ardashes Bastadjian, giving performances in Nicosia, Larnaca and Limassol. Together with a contribution by the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus and Stepan Kavafian, the church was built between 1939–1940, while its consecration took place on 11 April 1948 by Bishop Ghevont Chebeyian. The church was renovated between 1975–1976 and again in 2006, while in 1989 its bell was made electronic by donation of brothers Garabed and Nshan Arakchindjian. During the 1975–1976 renovation, the belltower was placed on top of the entrance, while an iron Armenian cross was added during the 2006 renovation. Liturgies are held every other Sunday, in turns with Saint Stephen's church in Larnaca. The church celebrates on the last Sunday of September, feast day of Saint George.

Turkish-occupied areas

Nicosia

The old Virgin Mary [Սուրբ Աստուածածին (Sourp Asdvadzadzin)] cathedral in Victoria street, currently in the Turkish-occupied part of the walled city of Nicosia near Paphos Gate, also known as Notre Dame de Tyre or Tortosa, was originally a Benedictine/Carthusian Abbey built between 1308–1310, on the site of an older church which had originally been built in 1116 and was destroyed by an earthquake in 1303, where Armenian-Catholic nuns served. Sometime before 1504 it passed into the hands of the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus and it used to be the centre of the Armenian community of Cyprus until it was captured, along with the rest of the Armenian quarter, by Turkish-Cypriot extremists during the 1963–1964 Turkish-Cypriot mutiny and occupied by Turkey during the 1974 Turkish invasion. After the Osmanian occupation of Cyprus in 1570, it was temporarily used as a salt store, until it was returned to the Armenian community by a firman in May 1571; the Armenian ownership of the church was further confirmed by another firman in May 1614. During the period of the Armenian Genocide, many persecuted Armenian refugees sought shelter on its verandah. It was located next to the old Prelature building, the Melikian-Ouzounian school, the Armenian Genocide monument and the Melikian family mansion.

During the centuries it served the small yet prosperous Armenian community of Nicosia, the church underwent various modifications: in 1688 it was renovated, in 1788 the baptistery was constructed, in 1858 the arches of the northern verandah were built, in 1860 the belfry was constructed - amongst the first in Ottoman Cyprus, a donation by the Hapetig Nevrouzian of Constantinople -, in 1884 it was restored, in 1904 the roof was re-built and a renovation took place, in 1945 the upper tier was erected for the choir (by donation of Aram Ouzounian), in 1950 the belfry was restored, while in 1960-1961 the Antiquities Department installed a new floor - after removing the mediaeval tombstones that were previously covered by the carpets. The church celebrated on the nearest Sunday to 21 November, feast day of the Presentation of Mary.

After its illegal occupation in January 1964, it was used as barracks for the Turkish-Cypriot militia, while after its illegal occupation by the Turkish army in July 1974 it continued to be used as barracks for Turkish soldiers, until it suffered further damages by an earthquake in 1998. The site was abandoned and illegal Anatolian settlers inhabited the place until late 2006.

In 2005, the UNDP carried out a preliminary study for its potential restoration, while in 2007 it conducted a feasibility study. Heavily desecrated, its restoration finally started in October 2009 by initiative of the Armenian Ethnarchy of Cyprus and the Armenian Representative, Vartkes Mahdessian. The works were carried out by the UNDP-ACT, with partial funding from USAID, and were completed in November 2012.^[15]

There was also a small Armenian Evangelical church, located in Mahmoud Pasha street, in the Turkish-occupied part of the walled city of Nicosia - behind the old American Academy building, near the Arab Ahmed mosque. Prior to its erection, Armenian Evangelicals used to worship God at the Reformed Presbyterian church on Apostolos Varnavas street, behind the building of the Holy Archbishopric of Cyprus. The church - a vision already since the early 1930s - was eventually built thanks to the initiative of pastor Yohanna Der Megerditchian, with the financial contribution of the Reformed Presbyterian Church and the Armenian Evangelical faithful; its architect was Dickran H. Davidian. Its foundation stone was laid on 28 July 1946 by pastor Yohanna der Megerditchian, who dedicated it on 1 July 1947. The church was renovated in 1955, the year when the border fence and the gate were erected; in 1959 a kitchen was added.

However, during the 1963–1964 intercommunal troubles, the church was taken over by extremist Turkish-Cypriots. Between 1964-1974, the church and the surrounding buildings were used as a school for some time and then as the main military headquarters (sancaktarlık). After that, for a long time the buildings remained empty. Later on, the church was used as a Turkish folk music centre (1987-1997) and as Handicrafts Co-Operative (1997-2011); as of 2011 it is used as a music centre. As with the old Virgin Mary church, no Services have been held since 1964.^[6]

Famagusta

The church of Ganchvor monastery [Սուրբ Աստուածածին Կանչուոր (Sourp Asdvadzadzin Ganchvor) or Virgin Mary the Caller] was probably built in 1346 by Armenian refugees who escaped the Mameluke attacks against Ayas of Cilicia. It is located between Kışla and Server Somuncuoğlu streets, in the north-western part of the walled city of Famagusta (next to the Carmelite church) and it is believed it was a part of an important monastic, cultural and theological establishment, at which Saint Nerses of Lambron is said to have studied, and whose foundations survived until the mid-20th century. A scriptorium used to operate in this monastery, manuscripts of which survive at the Armenian Saint James’ Monastery in Jerusalem.

It is unknown when exactly it ceased being used, however it possibly stopped operating already since the mid-Venetian Era. Up until at least 1862, there was a small bell-tower. Unused for more than three and a half centuries, because of Ottoman restrictions, in 1907 it was declared an ancient monument, based on Colonial Antiquities’ Law IV/1905. In the same year, it was repaired by the Antiquities Department, as it was in 1931. In 1932 it was restored, also by the Antiquities Department, which significantly repaired it between 1937-1944 (under the care of Theophilus Mogabgab, Director of Antiquities for Famagusta District), after it was leased to the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus on 7 March 1936, for a period of 99 years - which was achieved after the intervention of Co-adjutor Catholicos of Cilicia, Papken Gulesserian, who had visited the church in 1934, and Archbishop Bedros Saradjian.

The first Liturgy and its re-consecration were held on 14 January 1945 by Archimandrite Krikor Bahlavouni (also known as “Topal Vartabed”). On 8 March 1957 it was partially burnt by Turkish-Cypriots, but continued to be used as a church until 1962; since then, the Famagusta Armenian community used the church of Ayia Paraskevi, which the Holy Archbishopric of Cyprus granted. The church celebrated on the nearest Sunday to 15 August, feast day of the Dormition of the Mother of God. In January 1964 it was taken by extremist Turkish-Cypriots during the 1963–1964 Turkish-Cypriot mutiny and was occupied by Turkey in August 1974 during the 1974 Turkish invasion. Between 1964-1974, it was used as a residence, despite attempts by the Swedish Contingent (SWEDCON) of UNFICYP and others to make other arrangements for the residing family. During the 1974-2005 period, the year in which it was declassified from a “military area”, it was used as a stable and a store room. Until 1974, there were beautiful frescoes on the walls, which today have disappeared. It has been left at the mercy of nature and vandals and it is in need of repairs. No Liturgies have been held since 1964.^[6]

The Armenian Orthodox church of the Virgin Mary of Ganchvor should not be confused with the Armenian-Catholic church of Saint Mary the Green (de Vert), whose location is unknown.

Halevga

Of great importance is Saint Makarios’ [Սուրբ Մակար (Sourp Magar)] monastery [Մակարավանք (Magaravank), also known as Αρμενομονάστηρο (Greek), Ermeni Manastırı (Turkish) and Armenian Monastery (English)], located within Plataniotissa forest near Turkish-occupied Halevga, on the Pentadhaktylos mountain range - at a height of 530 m. Its vast land (about 8.500 donums), extending up to the coast, included around 30.000 olive and carob trees, whose exploitation was the main source of income for the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus until 1974. The monastery was originally established by Copts circa 1000 AD on a location at which Saint Macarius is said to have been an ascetic; his icon was believed to be miraculous and, until the early 20th century, the Armenian residents of the region - some of whom had found shelter after the Hamidian massacres (1894-1896) - believed they could hear the Saint galloping with his horse at night.

The monastery passed into the hands of the Armenians sometime before 1425. During the Latin Era, its monks were known for their strict diet, while during the Ottoman Era it was known as the Blue Monastery (Armenian: Կապոյտ Վանք/Կէօք Մանասթըր, Turkish: Mavi Manastır, Greek: Κυανούν Μοναστήρι), from the colour of its doors and window blinds. For centuries, it had been a popular place of pilgrimage for Armenians and non-Armenians alike, a way station for pilgrims en route to the Holy Land, as well as a place of recuperation and rest for Armenian Catholicoi and clergymen from Cilicia and Jerusalem (it was the favourite holiday resort for Catholicos Sahag II, who used to ride his horse around its vast lands). Amongst its guests was Abbot Mekhitar of Sebaste, who spent some time there in 1695 on his way to Rome, as well as Hovsep Shishmanian (Dzerents), who - inspired by the visible outline of the distant Taurus mountains, in 1875 - he wrote the historical novel Toros Levoni, set in the times of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia; according to tradition, in 1140 prince Thoros II took refuge here to escape from his persecutors.

The monastery won the favour of the Ottomans: a 1642 firman exempted Armenians from paying taxes for the monastery, whose terms were renewed in 1660 and 1701. The 1650-1750 period is considered its “golden century”, as huge areas of land were purchased or given to the monastery. A large-scale renovation took place between 1734–1735 by Archimandrite Haroutiun, while between 1811–1818 Symeon Agha of Crimea financed a complete restoration and built the present chapel of the monastery. The initial chapel, at the centre of the monastic compound, was destroyed by earthquakes and natural conditions; the present chapel, next to the original one, was inaugurated on 3 January 1814. Renovations and restorations took place also in 1866 (by commission of the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Boghos Taktakian), in 1926 (by commission of Dickran Ouzounian, Ashod Aslanian and Garo Balian), in 1929 (by commission of Boghos and Anna Magarian), between 1947–1949 (by commission of Hovhannes and Mary Shakarian) and again in 1973 (by initiative of the Armenian Ethnarchy of Cyprus). The road linking the monastery to Halevga was constructed in 1926, by commission of Agha Garabed Melkonian, while the square, to the east of the monastery, was constructed in 1933 by commission of Catholicos Sahag II.

For centuries, the monastery had been an important spiritual centre. Until the early 20th century, a large number of exquisite and priceless manuscripts written at the monastery’s scriptorium between 1202-1740, as well as numerous valuable ecclesiastical vessels, were kept here, before they were moved to Nicosia for safe-keeping; since 1947, 56 illuminated manuscripts are at the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias. It appears that the last monks lived permanently until about 1800. There are two monuments in the vicinity: a commemorative stone column at the square of the monastery, unveiled on 8 September 1933 by Catholicos Sahag II, and a mortar obelisk dedicated to Abbot Mekhitar, on top of the namesake hill to the north-west of the monastery, unveiled on 2 August 1931 by Catholicos Sahag II and Archbishop Bedros Saradjian.

Between 1897-1904, Vahan Kurkjian’s (Pagouran) National Educational Orphanage had its summer sessions here, as did - for the whole year - a small Armenian school for the children of the region until 1914. The area was used as a summer resort and camping site for Armenian Scouts and students. In 1948 the Archangels’ fountain was erected, by commission of Kapriel and Arshalouis Kasbarian, which was officially blessed by Bishop Ghevont Chebeyan on 2 May 1948. In 1949 Sarkis and Sourpig Marashlian funded the water distribution network, the turbine and the electric generator. The monastery’s chapel was a favourite place for Christenings. A new baptistery was constructed in 1968 by Karnig Kouyoumdjian. Until 1974, a large number of Armenian-Cypriot families resided in the surrounding area during the weekends and holidays. On May’s first weekend, Saint Macarius’ feast, nearly the entire Armenian-Cypriot community would visit Magaravank, while and harissa (chicken porridge) was being prepared and served.

However, the monastery was captured by the Turkish troops in August 1974, who later used it to house illegal settlers from Anatolia and, in the 1980s, to house military officers. Left at the mercy of vandals and nature, it has been desecrated and today is dilapidated and in a pitiful condition. Between 1998-1999 and again in 2005, the occupying regime intended to turn it into a hotel; after co-ordinated reactions, this unholy plan was averted. In December 2006 and in July 2008, it was visited by Hrant Dink and Catholicos Aram I, respectively. By initiative of Representative Vartkes Mahdessian and the Armenian Ethnarchy, on 6 May 2007 the first visit-pilgrimage took place there after 33 years; it was repeated on 10 May 2009, 9 May 2010, 8 May 2011, 13 May 2012 and 19 May 2013, with the participation of a large number of Armenian-Cypriots and other Armenians, some of whom came from abroad.^[15]

Education

Armenians have always attached particular emphasis in education, which – in conjunction with the Church – is the foundation for the preservation of their national and cultural heritage. Armenian schools teach and cultivate Armenophony, Armenology, the age-old Armenian history and the rich Armenian traditions, thus ensuring the perpetuation of Armenianism from generation to generation. The very existence of Armenian educational institutions in the countries of the Armenian Diaspora shows exactly the importance, the perseverance and the tireless efforts that the numerous Armenian communities make to avoid the “white massacre”, the assimilation and peaceful disintegration of the Armenian nation. Therefore, in a way, the continuance of Armenian education up to our days is a sign of victory against the “red massacre”, the Genocide.

Education is a very important part of the Armenian community of Cyprus. It first appeared in the second half of the 19th century, within the framework of the Tanzimat reformations. The first Armenian school in Cyprus, established by newly-arrived Archimandrite Vartan Mamigonian, opened its doors in Nicosia in 1870; it was followed by an Armenian school in Larnaca (1909), Famagusta (1927) and Limassol (1928). Small Armenian schools, some public and others private, used to operate also at the Magaravank (1897–1914), the Attalou settlement near Kharcha (1910–1922), Amiandos (1928–1939 & 1942–1948), Mavrovouni (1939-1942), Nicosia (1900-1905) and Larnaca 1896-1899, 1916-1918, 1921-1936, as well as in various villages during the World War II evacuation. Of the private Armenian schools of the island, noteworthy are the short-lived National Educational Orphanage (Ազգային Կրթարան-Որբանոց, 1897–1904), established in Nicosia by Vahan M. Kurkjian (Pagouran), and the Melkonian Educational Institute (Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն, 1926–2005), established in Nicosia by brothers Krikor and Garabed Melkonian and administered by the Armenian General Benevolent Union.

In 1972, all four Armenian Elementary Schools in Cyprus were called Nareg National Schools (Նարեկ Ազգային Վարժարաններ), in memory of great Armenian monk, poet, mystical philosopher and theologian Saint Gregory of Nareg (951–1003), whose sandstone statue was sculpted in 1991 by Armenian sculptor Levon Tokmadjian and placed in front of the Nicosia Nareg; it was unveiled by Representative Aram Kalaydjian on 24 March 1991. Also in 1991, all the three Armenian Elementary Schools assumed their current name: Nareg Armenian Schools (Նարեկ Հայկական Վարժարաններ). Currently, there is one Nareg school in Nicosia, one in Larnaca and one in Limassol. In Nicosia, Nareg also operates as a Gymnasium (Junior High School), as of September 2005, due to the unfair closure of the Melkonian Educational Institute. Currently, the Gymnasium section has about 10 students.

As of 1960, the annual budget of the schools is fully covered by the Ministry of Education and Culture and education is provided for free; previously, the budget was covered partly by the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus (mainly out of the exploitation of the Magaravank's carob and oil trees’ production) and partly by tuition fees. The schools are open to all children of Armenian descent. The teaching and administrative staff is appointed and paid by the School Committee, with the exception of the Greek language and history teachers, who are provided by the Ministry of Education and Culture and paid by the Educational Service Commission. In 1998 the government approved the pension scheme for the staff of Nareg Schools, with the same terms and conditions that their Greek-Cypriot colleagues benefit.

Currently, Armenian schools in Cyprus have about 205 students (Nicosia: 135, Larnaca: 30, Limassol: 40). Their administering body is the 11-member Armenian Schools’ Committee (Կիպրահայ Վարժարաններու Հոգաբարձութիւն), which - according to Law 103(I)/1999 - has a 5-year tenure and it is appointed by the Council of Ministers after the suggestion of the Minister of Education and Culture, who consults with the Armenian Representative; as of November 2009, the 11–member Schools' Committee is headed by Vartan Tashdjian. The current School Committee was appointed by the Decision of the Council of Ministers 69.557/18–11–2009,^[16] while the Decision of the Council of Ministers 70.780/14–07–2010 replaced a member who had resigned. Other than Mr Tashdjian, currently the School Committee consists of the following members: Sebouh Tavitian, Masis der Parthogh, Avedis Chouldjian, Yeran Kouyoumdjian, Assadour Devledian, Raffi Mahdessian, Nayiri (der Arakelian) Merheje, Rita Kasparian, Dr. Missag Keshishian and Haroutiun Kassabian.

Initially, the School Committee was appointed by the Armenian Ethnarchy of Cyprus until 1921, when its members were then appointed by the High Commissioner/Governor (Colonial Law XXIV/1920); between 1960–1965 it was appointed by the Greek Communal Chamber, while since 1966 it has been appointed by the Council of Ministers. In 1961, the individual public Armenian schools in Cyprus were placed under the directorship of a single Headmaster in Nicosia, with the assistance of a senior teacher in Larnaca and a senior teacher in Limassol; the Famagusta Armenian School had only one teacher. As of September 2009, the schools' Headmistress is Vera Tahmazian.

Over time, the academic curricula of these schools have kept pace with the needs and challenges of the community’s fluctuating population and the government’s requirements. Currently, the education they provide is tri-lingual (Armenian, Greek, English) and their curriculum is equivalent to that of the public schools, enhanced with lessons of Armenian language, history and geography, as well as activities that cultivate Armenianism, Armenology and the Armenian culture. One cannot overlook the fact that all Armenian schools in Cyprus are adjacent to the local churches, with the active participation of Church leaders, a vivid proof of the traditional school-church bond that has existed for centuries in Armenian reality.^[17]

Melkonian

The renowned Melkonian Educational Institute (Մելգոնեան Կրթական Միութիւն) was built off Limassol Avenue in Aglandjia after the generous and benevolent donation of tobacco-trading brothers Krikor and Garabed Melkonian, who were not left apathetic by the horrific Armenian Genocide. Adana Prelate, Bishop Moushegh Seropian, had encouraged the Melkonian brothers [commonly referred to as parerarner (բարերարներ=benefactors)] to undertake such a project, in order to give shelter and education to about 500 Armenian orphans of the Armenian Genocide who had fled to Syria, Lebanon and Mesopotamia. According to tradition, the location, at the time 3 km outside Nicosia, is said to have been chosen in 1923 by Garabed Melkonian himself, because no minarets could be seen from there. Its foundation stone was laid on 15 February 1924 by High Commissioner Sir Malcolm Stevenson and it was inaugurated on 13 February 1926 by Archbishop Zaven der Yeghiayian. The grove in front of the school was planted by the first orphans, in memory of their relatives who perished during the Armenian Genocide. The Melkonian evolved from an orphanage (1926–1940) to a renowned secondary school (1934–2005). A unique and unparalleled achievement, it was a beacon of hope and culture for Armenianism and Armenophony across the world, boasting an international membership of Armenian students from over 30 countries. From 1930 until its unjust closure in 2005, 1.828 students graduates from here. Rightly, it was called an ambassador of Cyprus to all over the world. It had a boarding section, a rich library and well-equipped laboratories.

Garabed Melkonian assigned the administration of the school to the AGBU on 28 December 1925. Upon becoming a secondary school, the Melkonian Educational Institute offered various branches of education. Between 1935–1967 there was a pedagogigal/teachers' section, between 1936–1942 there was a technical school (according to the reports of the Director of the Department of Education, the first true technical school of the island), between 1937–1964 and 1974–2005 there was a commercial section, between 1950–2005 there was a science section, between 1964–1973 there was a general education section, while between 1966–1975 there was a social sciences section. Other than English, French and Armenian (both Western Armenian and Classical Armenian), at times and depending on the countries of origin of the student population, the students were also taught Greek, Arabic, Persian, Bulgarian and Russian.

Also known as “an island within an island”, it had a great educational and cultural impact on the Armenian-Cypriot community. It had a theatre group, a dance group, a choir, a band, a football team, a basketball team, a boys' volleyball team and a girls' volleyball team, as well as the historical 7th Cyprus Scout Group (1932–2006) and the 9th Cyprus Guide Team (1950–2005). The Melkonian Educational Institute published the well-known Ayk magazine [Այգ (Dawn), 1937–1940, 1948–1956, 1959–1964, 1970–1976, 1978–1982, 1993–2006], the oldest Armenian secondary school magazine, as well as the Tsolk newspaper [Ցոլք (Gleam), 1968–1991] and Hayatsk newspaper [Հայեագք (Glance), 1998–2000], which later on became the Hayatsk magazine (2000–2004).

The Melkonian Educational Institute had been the largest and longest-living Western Armenian boarding school. The new boarding section was built between 1987–1989 by architects Iacovos & Andreas Philippou to the east of the twin buildings; its foundation stone was laid on 24 May 1987 by President Spyros Kyprianou, while its inauguration took place on 21 October 1989 by Acting President Vassos Lyssarides.

There is a series of monuments at the premises of the Melkonian: the white marble Mausoleum of the immortal benefactors Krikor and Garabed Melkonian (1954-1956), the twin sandstone monuments for the Armenian Alphabet and Mother Armenia (1979-1980), a series of sandstone statues depicting 8 important pillars of Armenian history and letters (Hovhannes Aivazovsky, Hagop Meghabard, Gomidas Vartabed Soghomonian, Saint Mesrob Mashdots, General Antranik Ozanian, Vahan Tekeyan and Movses Khorenatsi, 1990-1991) and the white marble bust of former AGBU President Alec Manougian (1990).

The school was administered by the New York-based AGBU, according to the contract signed by the benefactor Garabed Melkonian on 28 December 1925. However, the AGBU closed it down in 2005. Although the litigation was won by AGBU's legal team, there is a permanent ministerial decree (02/03/2007) that characterises 60% of its total area as being of “special architectural, historical and social character and natural beauty”.^[18]

Nicosia

Nicosia's first Armenian school was established in 1870 by newly-arrived Archimandrite Vartan Mamigonian: the National Armenian School (Հայ Ազգային Վարժարան) was housed in a small building in the courtyard of the Armenian church in Victoria street. In 1886 it was repaired by locum tenens priest Hovhannes Shahinian, who called it Vartanants Boys' School (Վարդանանց Մանչերու Վարժարան), while in 1902 Archimandrite Bedros Saradjian founded the Shoushanian Girls' School (Շուշանեան Աղջկանց Վարժարան), at which a kindergarten started operating in 1907.

In 1921, by the will and testament of wealthy local landowner Artin Bey Melikian (1858–1921), the Melikian National School (Մելիքեան Ազգային Վարժարան) was founded, thus replacing the previous two schools with a co-educational one; it was initially considered too big, but only a year later it was full of Armenian children of the Genocide. In 1938 the Ouzounian National School (Ուզունեան Ազգային Վարժարան) was built, after the donation of successful businessman Dickran Ouzounian (1870–1957); subsequently, the school operated under the name Melikian-Ouzounian National School (Մելիգեան-Ուզունեան Ազգային Վարժարան). In 1950 a new building was built for the kindergarten using proceeds from school functions.

As the entire Armenian quarter of Nicosia was taken over by Turkish-Cypriot extremists during the 1963–1964 Turkish-Cypriot mutiny, the educational work suffered a temporary halt. Despite the uncertain political situation in the island, between February and July 1964 the school was housed at the Mitsis’ School for Girls in Archbishop Makarios III Avenue. Thanks to arrangements made by Representative Berge Tilbian and with full government aid, between September 1964 and July 1972 school life was re-organised in two pre-fabricated buildings on the grounds of the Melkonian Educational Institute under the name Armenian National School (Հայ Ազգային Վարժարան).

With the community feeling the need for a permanent school, government land was granted on 16 December 1966 in trust, thanks to appeals by Representative Berge Tilbian. The purposely-built three-storey school building with its open amphitheatre was eventually erected between 1971–1972, thanks to the efforts of Representative Dr. Antranik L. Ashdjian, by the Technical Services of the Ministry of Education, with Pefkios Georghiades as its architect. The school premises were inaugurated on 12 November 1972 by Archbishop Makarios III and Catholicos Khoren I, thus opening a bright new page in the educational and cultural life of the community.

In the past, the school had a band and a Scout group. On 10 December 1979 Strovolos Improvement Board decided to rename the road in front of the school from “Cyclops street” to “Armenia street”, as a gesture of solidarity to the brotherly Armenian people. This decision was taken after the suggestion of Bishop Zareh Aznavorian and community members. Also, thanks to the efforts of Representative Aram Kalaydjian, a freehold title deed on the land was given on 31 March 1983 in the name of the Virgin Mary church. In front of the school's entrance is the sandstone statue of Saint Gregory of Nareg (1991).

In September 2005, following the unfair closure of the Melkonian Educational Institute, Nareg Nicosia started operating a Gymnasium section, fully funded and staffed by the Ministry of Education and Culture. Between 2008–2010, a new auditorium was built by the Technical Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture, with Joanna Christou as its architect. The new auditorium was inaugurated on 17 May 2011 by Minister of Education and Culture, Dr. Andreas Demetriou.

Finally, in 2010 the school was completely renovated, thanks to the initiative of the current School Committee. Currently, the school has about 135 students.

Larnaca

With the arrival of a number of Armenian refugees who escaped the Adana massacre (1909), the local parish council established a small school under Miss Rebecca Gomidassian. The school was soon visited by Adana Bishop, Moushegh Seropian, who secured part of the necessary funding from the AGBU for a permanent school: thus, the Mousheghian National School (Մուշեղեան Ազգային Վարժարան) was erected next to Saint Stephen’s church. In 1917 a second room was added, by donation of Miss Hanemie Eramian.

With the influx of a large number of Armenian Genocide refugees (1915–1923), the school was considered insufficient for the local needs. Thus, with financial support from the Adana Educational Association of Watertown, Massachusetts, a larger school building was constructed in 1923 and called National Armenian School (Հայ Ազգային Վարժարան); a second floor was added in 1926, by donation of Garabed Melkonian. In the early 1940s, Larnaca Municipality decided to rename the road in front of the school from “Hadjistavrou street” to “Armenian Church street”. Also, in the past the school had a Scout group.

The school’s playground hosted many Lebanese-Armenian refugees during the Lebanese civil war (1975–1990). However, over time and after an earthquake in 1991, the school building exhibited structural weaknesses, raising serious concerns. Thanks to the efforts of Representative Aram Kalaydjian, the Technical Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture built a new two-storey school building between 1993–1995, in what used to be the school yard, with Androulla Demetriou as its architect. The new school was inaugurated on 18 May 1996 by President Glafcos Clerides. The old school was used as a store room until it was demolished in November 2007.

Finally, in 2012 the school was partially renovated, thanks to the initiative of the current School Committee. Currently, it has about 30 students.

Limassol

The first Armenian school in Limassol was established in 1928, by initiative of Archbishop Bedros Saradjian, at the house of Siranoush Avedikian in Zena Gunther street (at the time Nikephoros Phocas street). After Saint George’s church was built (1939–1940) in Platon street (it was later renamed to Vassilis Michaelides street), lessons were held at the church’s repository. Thanks to the encouragement of priest Shahé Semerdjian, expenditure from the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus and a donation by Ethiopian Armenian Roupen Babigian, in 1951 a proper school building was erected for the National Armenian School (Հայ Ազգային Վարժարան) next to the church, which Metropolitan Ghevont Chebeyan inaugurated on 17 November 1951. In 1954, with contributions from a fund-raising by the Limassol Armenian youth, the building was expanded and as of then all lessons were held inside the school building.

Between 1995–1996, a pre-fabricated kindergarten was built. However, to enjoy facilities equal to that of the Nicosia and Larnaca schools, the Technical Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture built between 2006–2007 a modern two-storey school on the same grounds, with Aristos Christodoulides as its architect; during the construction period, the educational work was carried out at a rented house in Philoctetes street. The new school was inaugurated on 5 November 2008 by President Demetris Christofias. Currently, it has about 40 students.^[6]

Famagusta

The smallest member of Nareg Schools’ family, with no more than 15 students, it has been under Turkish occupation since August 1974. It started operating in late 1927 under the name National Armenian School (Հայ Ազգային Վարժարան) with financial aid by the Reformed Presbyterian Mission at the house of Miss Hayarpi Der Kevorkian, opposite the Ayia Zoni church. As the school was never fortunate to have its own building, over the years it operated in various rented houses at different locations of Varosha; Divine Liturgies were held at these rented houses. Its last premises were located in 28 October street. In 1972 it was called Nareg National School (Նարեկ Ազգային Վարժարան), just like the other three Armenian schools of the island and its last teacher was Marie Der Avedissian. It was taken over during the 1974 Turkish invasion and has since been in the fenced area of Varosha.

Others

In the past, an Armenian school also operated in Pano Amiandos (1928–1939 and 1942–1948), under the auspices of Tunnel Asbestos Co., with Garabed Dzaghigian as its teacher; Garabed Dzaghigian was the teacher of the short-lived Armenian schools in Mavrovouni (1939–1942) and Prodhromos (1938–1942); the Mavrovouni Armenian School operated under the auspices of the Cyprus Mines Corporation. During the World War II evacuation (1941–1942), Armenian schools operated in the villages of Agros, Anaphotia, Lefkara, Ormidhia, Pedhoulas, Pervolia, Prodhromos and Skouriotissa. The Pedhoulas school was the largest one, with Haigazoun Hagopian as its teacher.

There was also a small Armenian school at the Magaravank in Pentadhaktylos (1897–1914) and a small Armenian school at Attalou settlement (near Kharcha village, 1910–1922); during its last years, the latter had Archimandrite Krikor Bahlavouni as its teacher, also known as “Topal Vartabed”. In Nicosia, there was small Armenian kindergarten in (1900–1905), run by the Armenian Evangelical sisters Rachel and Hosanna Sarkissian.

The majority of the old Armenian schools were in Larnaca: chronologically, a small Armenian school for refugee children of the Hamidian massacres, under the auspices of Reformed Presbyerian missionary Susan Fluhart (1896–1899), a small Armenian school under the auspices of the American Academy of Larnaca (1916–1918, with Hagop Davidian as its teacher, and again between 1923–1936 as a 4–class Elementary School, with various teachers), a small Armenian Catholic school in Larnaca (1921–1923), run by Abbot Jean Kouyoumdjian at Saint Joseph's convent, and a small Armenian kindergarten under the auspices of the Reformed Presbyerian Mission (1923–1929), with Josephine Gulesserian as its teacher. There were also three short-lived Armenian schools in Larnaca in 1922–1923, as a result of the huge influx of refugees from the Armenian Genocide; these were run by Haroutiun Kalaydjian, Verkin Abadjian and the Protestant Satenig Derderian.

Of particular importance was the National Educational Orphanage (Ազգային Կրթարան-Որբանոց), which was founded by Vahan Kurkjian (also known as Pagouran), in order to educate orphaned Armenian children from the Hamidian massacres. It operated in Nicosia and, during the summer months, the Sourp Magar monastery between 1897–1904. It was closed down because of financial difficulties and Kurkjian's loss of two of his children due to a whooping cough epidemic. Its students later became successful and influential, some in Cyprus, others in the Armenian Diaspora.^[19]

Monuments

Despite its small size, the Armenian-Cypriot community has plenty of monuments to show:

Nicosia

The present white marble Armenian Genocide Monument was constructed between 1990–1991 by architect and painter John Guevherian and it is located in the courtyard of the new Virgin Mary church in Strovolos, Nicosia. It was officially presented on 24 April 1991. It features three arches - representing Armenia and the two Diasporas, the one within the USSR and the one outside it - and a black granite cross, the work of Armenian sculptor Levon Tokmadjian. In 1996 some martyrs' remains, brought by members of an Armenian Relief Society mission from the Der Zor desert in Syria, were interred within the monument. More bone remains are kept in the two marble ossuaries, built in 2000 in front of the monument by the Eghoyian and Tembekidjian families. Around the monument and the ossuaries are five khachkar-like sandstone columns, built by the donation of Anahid Der Movsessian.

In front of the Virgin Mary church, there is a white marble khachkar, the work of Lebanese-Armenian sculptor Boghos Taslakian (Aghassi), which stands as a symbol of friendship between Armenians and Greeks of Cyprus. It was unveiled on 21 October 2001 by Presidential Commissioner Manolis Christophides. Also in front of the Virgin Mary church, there is a bronze bust of Archbishop Zareh Aznavorian (1947–2004), the work of Armenian sculptor Mgrdich Mazmanian. The bust was unveiled on 1 May 2005 by its benefactor, Italian-Armenian Alecco Bezikian.

In front of the Nareg School there is the sandstone statue of intellectual Saint Krikor Naregatsi (951–1003), the work of Armenian sculptor Levon Tokmadjian. It was unveiled on 24 March 1991 by Representative Aram Kalaydjian. Also in 1991, the sandstone bust of AGBU's founder and first Chairman Boghos Noubar Pasha (1851–1930) was placed to the side of Nicosia AGBU's entrance, also the work of Armenian sculptor Levon Tokmadjian.

On 28 April 2002, a white marble tomb-ossuary containing some martyrs' remains, brought by an Armenian Youth Federation mission from the Der Zor desert in Syria in 2001, was unveiled by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian in front of the AYMA premises in Strovolos, Nicosia.

To the right of the entrance of the new Armenian cemetery of Nicosia, there is a grey tuff stone khachkar. It was carved in Sisian province, Armenia by Armenian sculptor Grisha Avedissian and was donated by Dickran Ouzounian. It was placed there in early 2013. There is also a commemorative aluminium plate, located on top of a cenotaph in the Ayp cemetery (near Ledra Palace), was placed in early 2010 and contains the names of the 419 people buried there between 1877 and 1931. This plate is probably the only one of its kind in a cemetery in Cyprus.^{[citation needed]}

Finally, in the old Armenian complex on Victoria street (nowadays in the Turkish-occupied Nicosia sector) was located the first Armenian Genocide monument in Cyprus. The monument was constructed using mortar in 1932 by architect Garo Balian and is considered to be the second oldest of its kind in the world. It was inaugurated on 24 April 1932 by Archbishop Bedros Saradjian and was also, unofficially, dedicated to the fallen of the Battle of Arara. However, it became itself a victim of the Turks during the 1963–1964 Turkish-Cypriot mutiny. All that survives of it today is its base, as the obelisk was taken down by the Turkish soldiers, who defaced its base.

Melkonian

The white marble Benefactors' Mausoleum, with the bronze busts of Garabed Melkonian (1849–1934) and Krikor Melkonian (1843–1920), is located between the twin buildings, the work of French-Armenian sculptor Leon Mouradoff and French-Armenian architect Mardiros Altounian. It replaced an older, wooden trellis monument. Its foundation stone was laid on 24 April 1954 by Bishop Ghevont Chebeyian, who also inaugurated the Mausoleum on 15 January 1956.

Between 1979–1980, artist Sebouh Abcarian constructed the twin sandstone monuments of the Armenian Alphabet and a synthesis resembling Mayr Hayastan; they were initially placed at the crossroads to the hospital and were inaugurated on 8 May 1981 by AGBU's President Alec Manougian. In 1987 they were placed in their current position, on the twin buildings' sides that face the Benefactors' Mausoleum.

Between 1990–1991, at the request of Melkonian's Headmaster Vahe Gabouchian, Armenian sculptor Levon Tokmadjian sculpted a series of 7 sandstone statues depicting important pillars of Armenian history and letters: Hovhannes Aivazovsky, Hagop Meghabard, Gomidas Vartabed Soghomonian, Saint Mesrob Mashdots, General Antranik Ozanian, Vahan Tekeyan and Movses Khorenatsi. The bust of Saint Mesrob Mashdots is placed on a small circular garden behind the Benefactors' Mausoleum, while the other busts are placed further back, closer to the new boarding section. Levon Tokmadjian also sculpted the marble bust of philanthropist and AGBU Chairman Alec Manougian, placed in front of the new boarding section.

Larnaca

The church of Saint Stephen itself is considered to be the oldest monument of the Armenian massacres, built between 1909–1913 with a commemorative façade on its entrance. It was inaugurated on 20 May 1914 by Senior Archimandrite Serovpe Samvelian and was consecrated on 30 June 1918 by Archbishop Taniel Hagopian. The commemorative façade features the Armenian ethnarch Haig, the last King of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, Levon V, a scroll held by a hand – representing the Ten Commandments and the four symbols of the Four Evangelists.

In the courtyard of Saint Stephen church is the reddish brown tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone) dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Adana massacre and the myriads of Armenian martyrs. It was carved in Sisian province, Armenia by Grisha Avedissian and was donated by Mihran and Jacqueline Boyadjian. It was consecrated by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian on 25 December 2011.

Another reddish brown tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone) is found at the Armenian cemetery of Larnaca. It is dedicated to all the deceased of the Armenian nation in Larnaca. It was carved in Sisian province, Armenia by Grisha Avedissian and was donated by Kegham Boghossian. It was consecrated by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian and Fr. Masdhots Ashkarian on 26 February 2012.

The Armenian Genocide Memorial is adjacent to the Larnaca marina, marking the spot where thousands of Armenian Genocide refugees first set foot in Cyprus. A joint project by the governments of Cyprus and Armenia, it was designed by architect and town planner Angelos Demetriou with the help of the architect Michael Thrassou and sculpted by Greek artist Georgios Kalakallas. Its foundation stone was laid on 24 November 2006 by Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and it was unveiled on 28 May 2008 by Cypriot President Demetris Christofias. It features a bronze eagle-like monument, surrounded by rows of pomegranate and cypress trees. The square in front of the Memorial was funded by the Kalaydjian Foundation and links the Armenian Genocide Monument with Larnaca's main promenade.

Limassol

A dark brown tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone) was placed outside Saint George's church in 2008, as a donation from the Arakelyan family. It was carved in Gyumri and was unveiled on 28 September 2008 by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian.

Magaravank

There are two monuments at Magaravank. The first one is a mortar obelisk dedicated to Abbot Mekhitar, his visit there in 1695 and the 200th anniversary of the formation of the Mekhitarist Order. It was originally erected in 1901, as a pile of stones, by the students of the National Educational Orphanage, run by Vahan Kurkjian (Pagouran); the inaugural ceremony was performed on 8 September 1901. Thirty years after this, the monument was re-constructed by 4 former students of the Orphanage (Movses Soultanian, Simon Vanian, Armen Bedevian, Rapael Pilibbossian), with the help of architect Garo Balian, and was unveiled on 2 August 1931 by Catholicos Sahag Khabayan and Archbishop Bedros Saradjian.^[19]

The other monument is a stone column, located at the monastery's square and dedicated to the visit of Catholicos Sahag II there and the opening of the square in 1933; it was unveiled by himself on 8 September 1933.

Cemeteries

Armenian-Cypriots have their own cemeteries:

Nicosia

There are three Armenian cemeteries in Nicosia. The Ayp cemetery (near Ledra Palace hotel) was established probably around 1810, if not earlier. The records of burials kept at the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus start from late 1877. In 1860, a fire at the Armenian Prelature deprived us of the register information. This task was performed by the new priest Hovhannes Shahinian, since 1 November 1877. The Ayp cemetery was used as a burial ground until 1931, when the Pen cemetery was established. The overwhelming influx of refugees from the Armenian Genocide made this cemetery too small for the increased number of burials; this, coupled with health concerns over cemeteries near the Nicosia city centre, were the reasons why it became no longer operation. Within the cemetery there is Saint Paul's chapel, built in 1892 by the will and testament of government translator Boghos Odadjian.

On top of the iron-gate entrance there is the following marble plaque in Armenian:

“Խաչն փայլի † յարեւելից ե˝օ” – ՚Ի հիմանց կառուցաւ շրջապատ Գերեզմանատանս Լուսաւրչ՟կ՟ն Հայոց արդեամբք ժողովրդեան. յամին 1888։ (“The cross shone † from the East” – The surrounding wall of this Gregorian Cemetery was constructed from its foundations by popular commission, in the Year 1888.)

Until 1963, from time to time memorial services were performed at the chapel in memory of the ones buried there. After the 1963–1964 inter-communal troubles and due to its proximity to the UN Buffer Zone, the cemetery was somehow neglected and no Liturgies were held there. After decades of neglect and the incidents that transpired in 2005, the cemetery and its chapel was restored between 2008–2009 thanks to the initiative and efforts of the Armenian Ethnarchy and Armenian MP Vartkes Mahdessian, who secured a substantial amount of money for its restoration from the Ministry of Interior. There is also a commemorative aluminium plate, which was placed 2010 and contains the names of the 419 people buried there.^[20] The Ayp Cemetery is featured in the pages of William Hurrell Mallock's book In an Enchanted Island: or, A Winter's Retreat in Cyprus, who visited Cyprus during the 1887/1888 winter.

The Pen cemetery was established in 1931 on the west of Ayios Dhometios, near the Nicosia Commonwealth War cemetery, and it was the only Armenian cemetery in use in Nicosia until 1998. In 1938 the Holy Resurrection chapel was built within the cemetery, by the donation of Haroutiun Bohdjalian; it was consecrated in 1949. In 1963 the remains of about 100 people buried in the Ayp cemetery were transferred there, because of the demolition of a small part of the Ayp cemetery. Since the Turkish invasion of 1974, the Pen cemetery is very near the Turkish-occupied areas; as it is located within the UN Buffer Zone, visits there are allowed only on Sunday noons. A special permit by the UNFICYP is required for burials there. There are 1630 people buried in this cemetery.

At the centre of the cemetery there is a fountain. It bears the following marble inscriptions in language:

Դուստր նոցա Նուարդ (Their daughter Nvart)

† Ի յիշատակ հանգուցեալ Աբիսողոմ եւ Վերժինէ Իւթիւճեաններու 1952 († In memory of the deceased Apisoghom and Verjine Utidjian 1952)

In 1998, the Kim cemetery was established to the south of the road between Lakatamia and Ayii Trimithias. The cemetery has no chapel and administratively belongs in Kato Dheftera. There are 150 people buried in this cemetery.

On the southern side of the cemetery there is a fountain. Behind it is the following marble inscription in Armenian:

Կառուցաւ աղբիւրս արդեամբ Փերուզ Տէլիֆէրի Մկրտիչեամ եւ Տէլիֆէր գերդաստանի յիշատակին – 2000 (This fountain was constructed by commission of Perouz Delyfer in memory of the Mgrditchian and Delyfer family – 2000)

On top of the fountain a shelter was constructed; to the side of the shelter there is the following Plexiglas inscription in Armenian, placed on top of a stone column:

Այս ամպհովանին կառուցուեցաւ նուիրատուութեամբ՝ Ռօզ Օղասապեանի, Անահիտ Զարդարեանի եւ Պետրոս Նահապեսեանի իրենց ծնողքին՝ Նահապետ եւ Վերժին Նահապետեաններու յիշատակին – Հոկտեմբեր 2010 (This baldachin was constructed by donation of Rose Oghassabian, Anahid Zartarian and Bedros Nahabedian in memory of their parents, Nahabed and Verjin Nahabedian – October 2010)

Larnaca

The Armenian cemetery in Larnaca was established in 1897, as a temporary place of repose on land given by the Prelature of Citium. It was officially granted to the community in 1923 and was expanded southwards in the early 1930s. It is located next to the Latin cemetery. There are 635 people buried in this cemetery.

Amongst the tombs and graves of that cemetery is a common grave for 9 gamavorner (volunteers) of the Armenian Legion, which was formed and trained in Monarga, Cyprus, between December 1916 and May 1918. Their names are: Movses Aprahamian, Hagop Bozayian, Hovhannes Hovhannessian, Kaloust Hovhannessian, Parsegh Klendjian, Levon Saradjian, Hovhannes Silahlian, Artin Soghomonian and Khatchig Tchoukourian. Their grave and tombstone were commissioned by the French consulate in Cyprus.

Opposite the khachkar (cross-stone), on the eastern side of the cemetery, there is a fountain, donated by Mihran and Jacqueline Boyadjian. On its top side, there is a brown tuff stone commemorative plaque bearing the Armenian symbol for eternity, the initials of its sculptor Grisha Avedissian [Գ (upper left-hand side) and Ա (upper right-hand side)] and the year it was constructed2011 [20 (lower left-hand side) and 11 (lower right-hand side)]. At eye level, there an aluminium inscription in Armenian:

Յիսուս ըսաւ - Ով որ այս ջուրէն խմէ` դարձեալ պիտի ծարաւնայ բայց ով որ իմ տալիք ջուրէն խմէ` յաւիտեան պիտի չծարաւնայ: Ընդհակառակը, ջուրը որ ես պիտի տամ անոր մէջ պիտի վերածուի աղբիւրի մը որ ջուր կը ցայտէ եւ յաւիտեան կեանք կու տայ: Յովհաննէս (Դ. 13–14) [Jesus said - Whoever drinks from this water shall be thirsty again, but whoever drinks from the water I will offer shall not be thirsty eternally. On the contrary, the water I shall give to him shall be turned into a fountain, whose water gushes out and gives eternal life. (John 4:13–14)]

Finally, on the bottom, there is the following aluminium inscription in Armenian:

Ի Յիշատակ Լէւոն եւ Զարուհի Պօյաճեաններու 2007 (In memory of Levon and Zarouhi Boyadjian 2007)

On top of the northern entrance, there is a white marble Armenian cross, donated in 2000 by Jean-Jacques Guvlekdjian.

Limassol

The Armenian cemetery in Limassol was granted to the community in 1946, but it was not until 1960 that it started its operation, when the Mayor of Limassol Costas Partasides constructed its wall. On 15 July 1961, Mayor Partasides delivered the golden key of the cemetery to Mihran Bastadjian, Chairman of Limassol's Armenian church committee.^[21] The cemetery is located to the west of the Limassol-Platres road and it is the beginning of the Garyllis river linear park. Administratively, it belongs in Kato Polemidhia. There are 150 people buried in this cemetery.

At the centre of the cemetery, there is a dark purple granite fountain, covered with beige stone. On its top, it bears the following stone inscription in Armenian:

Ի յիշատակ Կարապետ Կարապետեանի Աղբարիկ 2001 (In memory of Garabed Garabedian Aghparig 2001)

Famagusta

There was also a small Armenian cemetery in the Turkish-occupied city of Famagusta, in the Ayios Memnon area. It was established in 1967, but has been inaccessible since 1974, as it is currently located within the fenced area of Varosha. There were 8 people buried in this cemetery.

Between 1951–1966, the community in Famagusta used a different place of repose, near Stavros cemetery, which was however given to the Greek community to expand its own cemetery area; that too is currently located within the fenced area of Varosha.^[6]

The Armenian Quarter

There is some evidence suggesting that the original Armenian quarter (13th - late 15th/early 16th century) was located in the eastern part of Frankish Nicosia and that Armenians acquired their new quarter within the 16th century. What we do know for certain is that, after the conquest of the city in 1570, the Ottomans renamed the extant Armenian quarter to “Karamanzade mahallesi” (literally: quarter of the son of Karaman), in honour of one of the Generals who took part in the conquest of Cyprus and came from Karaman Eyalet.

Since the Mediaeval Era and until December 1963, the western part of walled Nicosia formed what was known as the Armenian Quarter [Αρμενομαχαλλάς (in Greek), Հայկական թաղ (in Armenian) or Ermeni mahallesi (in Turkish)], which could be defined as follows: to the north of Paphos Gate, to the east of the moat, to the south of the fountain of Zahra street and to the west of the virtual line that formed the extension of Athanasios Diakos street towards Mula bastion. Administratively, the Armenian Quarter included both the Karaman Zade quarter and the Arab Ahmed Pasha quarter.

After the British took over Cyprus, this part of the city housed several British officers. Their presence, together with that of the Latins (because of the existence of the Holy Cross cathedral and the Terra Santa school, and later on Saint Joseph's school and convent), gave it the unofficial name “Φραγκομαχαλλάς” (Greek for Levantine Quarter), while it was in Victoria street that the first hotels of Nicosia opened (as opposed to the various existing inns), the “Armenian Hotel” (c. 1875- c. 1925) and the “Army and Navy Hotel” (1878 - c. 1890). Therefore, the first cutting in the Venetian walls was made at the end of Victoria street at Paphos Gate in 1879. Similarly, not very far from there, the Anglicans built their cathedral, dedicated to Saint Paul, in 1885. FInally, for a period of time, in Victoria street were the “Nicosia Club” - also known as “English Club” - (1884-1896), the Catholic “Concordia Club” (1903-1954), as well as the Cyprus Museum (1889-1909).

Traditionally, the Armenian Quarter had the largest concentration of Armenians in Nicosia, as it encompassed the Armenian compound (Virgin Mary church, Armenian Prelature of Cyprus, Melikian-Ouzounian School and Armenian Genocide monument), the club houses for the Armenian Club, the AGBU and AYMA, as well as a large number of Armenian homes and shops. On top of Roccas bastion there was a small forest (in Armenian: անտառ), which was a place of recreation for the area.

Although the majority of its residents were Armenian-Cypriots, the Armenian Quarter was far from “monochrome”, as many Turkish-Cypriots, as well as some Greek-Cypriots, Maronite-Cypriots, Latin-Cypriots and British used to live there. In fact, until the first years of the British Era, the area was also known as the Latin Quarter; later on, it was split between the Karaman Zade and Arab Ahmed Pasha quarters. However, as the majority of residents were Armenian-Cypriots, as of 1927 the mukhtars of Karaman Zade quarter have been Armenian-Cypriots: Melik Melikian (1927–1949), Kasbar Delyfer (1949–1956), Vahe Kouyoumdjian (1956–2009) and Mgo Kouyoumdjian (2011–today).

The heart of the Armenian quarter was Victoria street (Վիքթորիա փողոց/Οδός Βικτωρίας/Viktorya sokağı), in which the Armenian compound was located, as well as many houses and, at a later time, the AGBU club house; at times, AYMA's club house was there as well. Victoria street was the road that every Armenian-Cypriot would walk on to go to church, to school, to the clubs, to visit family, relatives and friends etc. One could see all the time Armenian-Cypriots walking around the narrow streets amidst a profusion of Oriental smells and a chatter in Armenian. The street, full of beautiful ashlar buildings, started from the Latin church of the Holy Cross and ended at the Arab Ahmed Pasha mosque, having Mahmoud Pasha street as its extension (where the American Academy Nicosia was between 1922-1955 and the Armenian Evangelical church since 1946). As it was a one-way street, traffic was only allowed from the north to the south.

The other main road of the Armenian Quarter was Tanzimat street (Թանզիմաթ փողոց/Οδός Τανζιμάτ/Tanzimât sokağı). As it was facing the moat (in Armenian: պարիսպ), football matches between Armenian-Cypriot and other teams would attract a large number of Armenian-Cypriot spectators on it. At a later stage, the AYMA club house was located here. As this was also a one-way street, traffic was only allowed from the south to the north. Various byroads linked Tanzimat street to Victoria street. After the occupation of the area by the Turkish-Cypriot paramilitary organisations, even though Tanzimat street retained its name, Victoria street was illegally re-named into Şehit Salahi Şevket street.

During the 1963–1964 Turkish-Cypriot mutiny, a large part of the Armenian Quarter of Nicosia was gradually taken over by Turkish-Cypriot extremists between 21 December 1963 and 19 January 1964. Ten days later, they pillaged the Virgin Mary church and held captives for a few hours the Prelate, Senior Archimandrite Yervant Apelian, the parish priest, der Vazken Sandrouni, the Chairman of the Administrative Council of the Armenian Ethnarchy, Vahram Toundjian (Tountayian), and deacon Hrant Mamigonian.

Most Armenian-Cypriots left their houses out of fear and terror: some families fled for 2–3 days to the grounds of the Melikian-Ouzounian school and the church, until these places were also captured, while other families stayed for a longer period in tents at the grounds of the Melkonian Educational Institute. Even though some returned, this was temporary, as on 4 March 1964 extremist Turkish-Cypriots drove them out of their houses, after presenting them with threatening ultimata in their post boxes. In total, 231 Armenian-Cypriot families became victims to the Turks.

The loss of the Armenian Quarter had a significant impact on the cohesion of the Armenian community of Nicosia: even though, already since the 1950s, a growing number of Armenian-Cypriots resided outside the Armenian Quarter [mainly in Ayios Dhometios and the Keushklu Chiftlik (around the Ledra Palace hotel), Neapolis and Constantia areas], the once concentrated Armenian-speaking population in such a small distance from the church, the school and the clubs suddenly found itself scattered across Greek-speaking Nicosia, away from the aforementioned Armenian entities.

Today the Armenian Quarter has changed completely: most houses, if not all, are inhabited by illegal Turkish settlers from Anatolia, just like the majority of Turkish-occupied walled city of Nicosia. Despite the rehabilitation of the area between 1987-1998 (by UNHCR and 1998-2004 (by UNDP and UNOPS), as part of the Nicosia Master Plan, the residents' neglect is obvious. The only things remaining to remind a visitor that the area used to be inhabited by Armenians in the past are the existence of the Armenian compound in Victoria street, which was extensively renovated between 2009-2012, the dedicatory inscription on the Armenian Evangelical church in Mahmoud Pasha street and a commemorative plaque on top of the entrance of the old Sinanian house on the corner of Tanzimat street and Dervish Pasha street.

The Armenian Legion

Following negotiations in September and October 1916, between Boghos Noubar Pasha and French military and political authorities, the Eastern Legion (Légion d'Orient/Արեւելեան Լէգէոն) was officially established in Cairo in November 1916, by a special charter signed by the French Minister of War, General Pierre August Roques. It was to be an auxiliary unit of the French Army, consisting mainly of Armenian volunteers, whose aim was to liberate Cilicia from the Ottoman Empire, for the purpose of creating an independent Armenian state in that region. After negotiations with the British authorities, within the framework of the Anglo-French intelligence co-operation, it was decided that the training of the volunteers (կամաւորներ=gamavorner) would take place at Monarga, in the Carpass peninsula of Cyprus, near Boghaz. The Legion would be administered by French officers.^[22]

The camp was built in December 1916 by Armenian Genocide refugees and the arrival of the first volunteers - refugees from Musa Dagh - started in January 1917. Throughout 1917 and 1918, volunteers arrived at Famagusta harbor from the harbours of Marseilles and Port Said. Several Armenian organisations in the Middle East, Europe and North America supported the Legion, either with financial contributions or by drafting Diasporan Armenians to form companies of the Legion. The selection and training were rather strict, while the exceeding difficulties and large costs of transportation hindered the arrival of more volunteers from the New World. The volunteers were especially impatient to perform their patriotic duty.

The camp consisted of the headquarters, the barracks, various auxiliary installations (including a water basin) and a small church. In total, there were 4.124 volunteers, who formed 3 Armenian battalions, as well as 2 Syrian companies (consisting of about 300 men). The camp's commander was Infantry Lieutenant Colonel Louis Romieu, while its spiritual shepherd was Archbishop Taniel Hagopian, assisted by Archimandrite Krikor Bahlavouni, who later became known as “Topal Vartabed” (Թոփալ Վարդապետ=Lame Archimandrite), because of an injury he suffered during his military service. Both clergymen came to Cyprus from the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, even though at the time the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus was under the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.

In addition to their duties in Cyprus, at some point, the defence of Castellorizo island (to the east of Rhodes) was handed to the Armenian Legion. Basic training was completed by May 1918. Until then, the 1st battalion had about a year and a half of training, the 2nd battalion about eight months and the third battalion was being formed. Then, the largest part of the Legion was moved to Egypt and thence it was deployed to Palestine, marking the Battle of Arara on 19 September 1918. The 3rd battalion left Cyprus in October 1918. In December 1918 the Legion - consisting now of 4 battalions, 4.368 soldiers and 66 officers - settled in the Cilicia region (with its headquarters located in Adana) as part of the French Mandate, where it remained until it was dissolved in August 1920. In February 1919 it was officially called “Armenian Legion” (Légion Arménienne/Հայկական Լէգէոն). In mid-1919, General Antranik Ozanian came to Cyprus, wanting to go to Cilicia in order to head the Legion, but this was denied by the Franch. After its dissolution, only a very small number of legionnaires returned to Cyprus.

In the Armenian cemetery of Larnaca there is a group grave of 9 volunteers of the Armenian Legion, commissioned by the French consulate in the late 1940s. In the location where the Legion's camp once was, presently in the Turkish-occupied areas, very few vestiges remain. However, the legionnaires' remembrance and heroism will forever be written in golden letters on the pages of modern Armenian history and the memory of the volunteers will never be forgotten.^[23]

Nerkaght

The nerkaght [ներգաղթ=repatriation, also known as հայրենադարձութիւն (hayrenatartsoutiun=home-coming)] movement was a Panarmenian migration movement of Diasporan Armenians to Soviet Armenia, within the framework of a co-ordinated attempt of the Armenian SSR and the Church of Armenia to strengthen their claims on historical Armenia's territory, appealing to the patriotic sentiments of Armenians in the Diaspora; especially after World War II, nerkaght was also a way to partially replace the large number of Armenians who perished during the War. Massive propaganda took place, in co-operation with the AGBU and the Ramgavar party, arousing a storm of enthusiasm in the Armenian communities of the Diaspora and creating high expectations for their settling in the “homeland”, which they perceived as their ultimate destination. In retrospect, nerkaght could also be considered as Soviet manoeuvre in the Cold War era.

Nerkaght's waves took place between 1921–1925 (19.688 people), 1926–1929, 1932–1933, 1936 (22.598), 1946–1949 (the largest wave, with 89.780 repatriates) and 1962–1982 (31.920 people), when 163.986 Armenians in total migrated to Soviet Armenia from Iran, Greece, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, France, Bulgaria, Egypt, Turkey, Romania, Palestine, Jordan, Cyprus, the United States, Great Britain, Argentina, China, Israel and elsewhere.^[24]

Between 1944-1948, there was the Friends of Armenia Association [Հայաստանի Բարեկամաց Միութիւն (Hayastani Paregamats Mioutiun)], which was established by AGBU and Ramgavar party supporters, with the purpose of promoting love for the Soviet “homeland” and the acquaintance with its culture. Other than the various other sports, cultural, social, charity and other events, there was massive propaganda in favour of the nerkaght movement, including articles in the Association’s “Nor Arax” newspaper, as well as in the Greek-Cypriot communist “Dimokratis” newspaper, lectures and other events. Despite the opposition of the Dashnaktsoutiun party and the colonial government, about 2.000 Armenian-Cypriots had registered; in the end, however, Armenians from poorer countries of the Middle East and the Balkans were preferred. However, there were 4-5 individual Armenian-Cypriot families who emigrated to Soviet Armenia on their own in 1947.

With the announcement of the new wave of nerkaght in 1961, the AGBU and the Ramgavar party started over an even more massive propaganda in favour of “repatriation”. Lectures, film screenings and radio broadcasts were organised, speakers from Soviet Armenia were hosted, which was visited by an Armenian-Cypriot delegation - which later on presented its impressions both in speeches and in the “Henaran” newspaper. Propaganda in favour of nerkaght was also in the left-wing Greek-Cypriot “Haravgi” newspaper, as well at the Melkonian Educational Institute. On the other hand, there was strong opposition on the part of the Dashnaktsoutiun party, for both ideological and pragmatic reasons. As a result, 576 Armenian-Cypriots in total were repatriated to Soviet Armenia between 1962–1964 (amounting to about 15% of the community at the time). From Famagusta's harbour 20 left on 19 September 1962 (with the “Felix Dzerzhinsky” steamship), 373 on 3 October 1962 (with the “Gruzia” steamship), 168 on 19 October 1963 (with the “Litva” steamship) and 15 on 4 September 1964 (with the “Odessa” steamship). Most of them settled in Girovagan (Vanatsor), with a smaller number settling in Leninagan (Guymri). Over the years, some of them managed to re-settle in Yerevan.

Coupled with the exodus of about 900 Armenian-Cypriots to the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States during the EOKA emergency (1955-1959), the further emigration of about 600 Armenian-Cypriots to Soviet Armenia brought about a significant reduction to the size of the community, by about a third. Families were divided (not simply ideologically - but also physically), important members of the community were no longer part of it, while unrest was hovering over the future of the community - especially after the 1963–1964 Turkish-Cypriot mutiny and the ousting of Armenian-Cypriots from their ancient quarter in Nicosia.

Additionally, as news of the emigrants' bad living and financial conditions finally arrived in Cyprus (through coded letters or photographs - due to Soviet censorship -, as well as from visitors to/from Soviet Armenia), there was a sense of bitterness over the whole situation, as well as further rivalry between Dashnaktsoutiun (favouring a free and an independent Armenia) and anti-Dashnaktsoutiun organisations (supporting or, at least, settling with a Soviet Armenia). The latter also lost a number of supporters, as most of the emigrants were affiliated with AGBU and/or Ramgavar. Finally, Dashnaktsoutiun gained more sympathisers in some disillusioned AGBU and/or Ramgavar supporters.

Disappointed by what they saw and lived through, almost all of the ones who went to Soviet Armenia wanted to return to Cyprus from the start, as they were not accustomed to that kind of life. Due to restrictions from the Soviet regime, in order to come back, a large number of them moved to Baku, Azerbaijan. The adventurous return started in 1967 and continued until 2005, although most of them came during the late 1980s (after the Spitak earthquake) and the early 1990s (after the dissolution of the Soviet Union). In fact, the first wave of Armenians from Armenia who came to Cyprus after 1991 were mostly Armenian-Cypriots who had migrated to Soviet Armenia in the 1960s and their spouses/descendants.^[9] Their lives have been indelibly marked, also creating a sort of “identity crisis”: in Cyprus they are considered “Hayastantsi” (Armenians from Armenia), while in Armenia they were considered “Gibratsi” (Cypriots) or “Gibrahay” (Armenians from Cyprus).

• “2 thousand people registered: The delegations are arriving soon”, front-page article from “Nor Arax” (1947)
  “2 thousand people registered: The delegations are arriving soon”, front-page article from “Nor Arax” (1947)
• “1000 Armenians of Cyprus are repatriating”, front-page article from “Dimokratis” (1947)
  “1000 Armenians of Cyprus are repatriating”, front-page article from “Dimokratis” (1947)
• “The repatriated Armenians of Cyprus will settle in three new-built towns”, front-page article from “Haravgi” (1962)
  “The repatriated Armenians of Cyprus will settle in three new-built towns”, front-page article from “Haravgi” (1962)
• “En route to repatriation”, front-page article from “Haravgi” (1962)
  “En route to repatriation”, front-page article from “Haravgi” (1962)
• “Home-coming of the Armenian-Cypriots”, front-page article from “Henaran” (1962)
  “Home-coming of the Armenian-Cypriots”, front-page article from “Henaran” (1962)
• “153 more Armenians began for the journey of repatriation”, front-page article from “Haravgi” (1963)
  “153 more Armenians began for the journey of repatriation”, front-page article from “Haravgi” (1963)
• “A new group of Cypriot Armenians has repatriated”, front-page article from “Haravgi” (1964)
  “A new group of Cypriot Armenians has repatriated”, front-page article from “Haravgi” (1964)

Information media

Despite its small size, the Armenian-Cypriot community has a long list of newspapers and magazines to show.

Current situation

Currently, the Armenian-Cypriot community has the following printed, electronic and online information media:

• The Armenian radio programme has been broadcast since November 1953 on CyBC. Initially, it was broadcast on CyBC's first programme (CyBC 1, 1953–1955), while later (1955–1963) it was broadcast on both CyBC's programmes; in 1964 it was broadcast only on CyBC 1, until in 1965 it moved to the second programme (CyBC 2). For many years, it was the only Middle Eastern broadcast in Armenian, with audiences from around the region. Initially broadcast on Tuesdays only (1953–1954), it was later on broadcast on Sundays only (1955–1970), on Sundays and Wednesdays (1970–1975) and then on Sundays, Wednesdays and Saturdays (1976–1977). Between 1978–1980, it was broadcast on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, while - since 1981 - the programme has been broadcast daily; As of 1996, it airs every day between 17:00–18:00.
• Artsakank (Արձագանգ, Echo) was established in March 1995 (Artsakank website). It is a monthly newspaper in Armenian, published by the “Azadamard” Armenian Youth Centre, with Arto Tavitian as its editor-in-chief.
• Azad Tsayn (Ազատ Ձայն, Free Voice) was established in April 2003. It is a monthly newspaper in Armenian, published by Kevork Zeitountsian, who as of 2012 is also its editor-in-chief; previously, its editor-in-chief was Yeran Kouyoumdjian.
• Keghart (Գեղարդ, Lance), a monthly newsletter in Armenian, was established in October 1997 and it is published by the Armenian Prelature in Cyprus thanks to the initiative of Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian, who is also its editor-in-chief.
• Lradou (Լրատու, Newsletter), a tri-monthly newsletter in Armenian, was established in October 2006 and it is published by the Office of the Armenian Representative. Its editor-in-chief is the Armenian MP's assistant, Nayiri Mouradian.(Lradou website).
• Gibrahayer (Armenian-Cypriots), established in September 1999, is an online newsletter circulating every Thursday since 2010 (between 1999–2010 it circulated every Wednesday) on a monthly basis since 2012 (between 1999–2012 it circulated on a weekly basis) (Gibrahayer website). The news site has most of its contents in English, but also carries some Armenian, Greek or Turkish articles. Its editor-in-chief and owner is Simon Aynedjian. In October 2010, the e-magazine won an International Media Award from the Armenian Ministry of Diaspora at the All-Armenian Media conference in Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh.
• Azad Khosk (Ազատ Խօսք, Free Speech), established in April 2011, is a monthly online magazine in Armenian (Azad Khosk website). Its editor-in-chief is Yeran Kouyoumdjian.

Information media of the past

The following is a comprehensive list of Armenian-Cypriot newspapers and magazines printed in the past:^[22]

• Printed in Nicosia were the following media:
  • Kharazan [Խարազան (Whip), 1900 – publisher/editor-in-chief: Garabed Takvorian; a monthly newspaper],
  • Azad Gibrahay [Ազատ Կիպրահայ (Free Armenian-Cypriot), 1922–1923 – publisher/editor-in-chief: Haroutiun Arslanian; a weekly newspaper],
  • Ovasis [Ովասիս (Oasis), 1928–1930 – publisher: Maxoud Maxoudian, editors-in-chief: Samuel Toumayian and Dickran Luledjian; a monthly magazine]
  • Nshouil [Նշոյլ (Ray), 1936–1938 – publisher: Melikian National School, editor-in-chief: Setrak Guebenlian; a half-yearly newspaper],
  • Henaran [Յենարան (Support), 1959–1962 – publisher/editor-in-chief: Setrak Guebenlian; a weekly newspaper],
  • Gibrahay Deghegadou [Կիպրահայ Տեղեկատու (Armenian-Cypriot Informant), 1978–1993 – publisher: Armenian Prelature of Cyprus, editors-in-chief: Bishop Zareh Aznavorian and Senior Archimandrite Yeghishe Mandjikian; a monthly newsletter],
  • Haytoug [Հայդուկ (Guerilla), 1979–1982, publisher: ASALA supporters and sympathisers, editors-in-chief: Kevork Zeitountsian, Manoug Yildizian, Haig Indjirdjian and Sebouh Gorgorian; a bimonthly newspaper],
  • Artsakank [Արձագանգ (Echo), 1981–1982 – publisher: Armenian Youth Federation of Cyprus, editor-in-chief: Arto Tavitian; a quarterly newspaper]
  • Artsakank [Արձագանգ (Echo), 1983–1987 – publishers: Armenian Youth Federation of Cyprus/“Azadamard” Armenian Youth Centre, editor-in-chief: Arto Tavitian; an annual magazine] and
  • Paros [Փարոս (Pharos), 1997–2003 – publisher: Masis der Parthogh, editor-in-chief: Yeran Kouyoumdjian; a monthly newspaper].

• Printed in Larnaca were the following media:
  • Kraser [Գրասէր (Bibliophile), 1923–1925 – publisher: Armenian Bibliophiles' Association, editors-in-chief: Kevork Chakmakdjian, Hagop Kouyoumdjian and Giragos Geokbashian; a weekly newspaper],
  • Arax [Արաքս (Arax), 1924–1929 – publisher/editor-in-chief: Mardiros N. Mosditchian; initially a fortnightly newspaper (1924-1926), which later became monthly (1926-1929)]
  • Lousarpi [Լուսարփի (Sunlight), 1925–1929 – publisher: Armenophony Association, editor-in-chief: Manuel Kassouni; a monthly newspaper].
  • Artsakank [Արձագանգ (Echo), 1952–1956, 1958-1959 – publisher: AGBU Cyprus, editor-in-chief: Garabed Papazian; initially a quarterly magazine (1952-1954), which later came out every five months (1954-1956) and finally every year (1958-1959)] and
  • Deghegadou [Տեղեկատու (Informant), 1973–1995 – publisher: AGBU Cyprus, editor-in-chief: Garabed Papazian; a magazine which circulated three or four times a year].

• The Nor Arax [Նոր Արաքս (New Arax)] newspaper was initially printed in Larnaca (1945–1946) and later on in Nicosia (1946–1948). At first, it was published by Haig M. Mosditchian, who was also its editor-in-chief. When it was published in Nicosia, the publisher became the Friends of Armenia Association and Haig M. Mosditchian remained as its editor-in-chief. Originally, it was a fortnightly newspaper (1945-1946), which later became a weekly one (1946-1948).

• The Melkonian Educational Institute published the following information media:
  • Ayk magazine [Այգ (Dawn), 1937–1940, 1948–1956, 1959–1964, 1970–1976, 1978-1982, 1993–2006], the oldest Armenian secondary school magazine, with various editors-in-chief, amongst them Vahe Vahian (Sarkis Abdalian), Dr. Haroutiun Essegulian, Nerses Tamamian, Manuel Keosseyan, Assadour Devledian, Minas Kojayan, Violette Tashdjian and Yeghia Kayayan. In 1937 it came out every fortnight; in 1938 every three months, in 1939 every six months and it became annual in 1940; later on, two to four issues came out every year. As of 1971 it became an annual magazine.
  • Tsolk newspaper [Ցոլք (Gleam), 1968–1991], with Manuel Keosseyan and Minas Kojayan as its editors-in-chief. It originally started as a weekly and then fortnightly newspaper (1968–1973) and then it became a monthly and later on a bimonthly newspaper (1973–1991).
  • Hayatsk quarterly newspaper [Հայեագք (Glance), 1998–2000], which later on became the Hayatsk magazine (2000–2004), circulating three times a year, with Yeghia Kayayan as its editor-in-chief.

Notable personalities

Armenian-Cypriots have had a significant contribution in all walks of life in Cyprus: entrepreneurs, merchants, consuls, diplomats, lawyers, religious personalities, professors, journalists, doctors, musicians, painters, poets, photographers, sports personalities, researchers, Scouting/Guiding personalities and politicians.

In the late 18th century/early 19th century, Nicosia's leading citizen was an Armenian merchant called Sarkis Agha. Sarkis - the son of Avak - was originally the dragoman for the French Consul (at least since 1774 until 1798) and then he became the dragoman for the English Consul (from 1798 until his death in 1810) - as was his eldest son, Krikor (between 1799-1809). He was also a “beratli” (bearer of a privilege, issued in 1798) and used to pay the annual baksheesh to the Muhassil. His mansion had 80 rooms, richly and elegantly decorated, and resembled an Oriental palace: the finest carpets, numerous windows near the roof with carved wooden encasements, divans covered with satin and embroidered cushions, raised floors in some chambers, even a harem; it was known as “the house of many rooms” and was said to be as large as 100 ordinary houses - including a beautiful garden full of fruit trees and marble fountains. Sarkis had an annual income of 30-35 tons of wheat, farms and cattle. His wealth reached the enormous amount of 79.859 kuruş (piasters), together with 13 mules, 7 donkeys and 30 oxen, not to mention the valuable items contained within his mansion and the lands he owned. When he died in 1810, the Mufti, the Kadı, the Muhassil, the Armenian Bishop and Sarkis' son-in-law, Hadji Symeon Agha of Crimea, all co-operated to make the most of his great fortune - rousing even the interest of the central Ottoman government in Constantinople, contesting his wealth amounted to 90.844 kuruş (piasters). He was certainly a unique case. His children were Krikor, Avak (both merchants) and Anna (the wife of Hadji Symeon Agha).

19th century

From the old, local Armenian-Cypriots, who resided in Cyprus before the arrival of the Armenian refugees from the Armenian Genocide, as well as from the Ottoman Armenians who arrived in Cyprus after the British conquest, we could mention the following prominent personalities:

• Gaspard Amirayan (1859–1927), Assistant Crown Advocate.
• Mikael Assadourian (1837– c. 1890), interpreter and landowner in Kythrea.
• Vahan Bedelian (1894–1990), a renowned musician, conductor and music teacher who thrived in Nicosia, working with all the communities of the island. He is considered the “father” of classical music in Cyprus.
• Artin Boghos Eramian (c. 1800 – c. 1870), landowner and farmer from Dheftera.
• Boghos Eramian (1840–1918), landowner and farmer from Dheftera and also the Head Treasurer.
• Sdepan Eramian (1880–1937), landowner and farmer from Dheftera.
• Apkar Guvezian (1857–1922), landowner and farmer from Nicosia.
• Manuel Kassouni (1887-1974), an intellectual, professor, researcher and Evangelical missionary in Larnaca, Cyprus and Fresno, California. He wrote many school books, as well as the well-known “A note-book of home geography”.
• Aram Kevorkian (1888–1976), Postmaster-General of Cyprus.
• Vahram Levonian (1896–1976), Director of the Department of Water Works, Irrigation and Water Supply and first Director of the Water Board of Nicosia.
• Hayrabed Melikian (1809–1874), landowner and farmer from Kythrea.
• Artin Bey Melikian (1858–1921), landowner and farmer from Kythrea and the benefactor of the Melikian school.
• Dickran Ouzounian (1870–1957), entrepreneur in Nicosia and the benefactor of the Ouzounian school.
• Movses Soultanian (1884–1977), entrepreneur from Nicosia.
• Apisoghom Utidjian (1853–1929), Chief Translator and Interpreter for the British administration and the co-author of the book “The Imperial Ottoman Penal Code”.
• Vahram Utidjian (1888–1973), an avid art collector and the benefactor of the Martyrs' chapel on the grounds of the Holy See of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon.
• Vahram Yenovkian (1878-1965), a music composer, violinist and music teacher in Larnaca.

20th century (until 1923)

The arrival of refugees from the Armenian Genocide brought new talents and new crafts and arts in Cyprus. Many excelled in various fields, but the following is a short list of internationally and/or locally recognised Armenian-Cypriots, who excelled either in Cyprus or abroad:

• Vahan Avedissian (1902-1959), one of the most gifted photographer's of his time in Nicosia.
• Georges der Parthogh (1923–2008), a veteran journalist, the co-founder of the Cyprus Weekly newspaper and the “father” of photojournalism in Cyprus.
• Sempad Derounian (Devledian) (1923- ), a veteran lawyer, poet and the author of numerous poetry collections living in Nicosia.
• Takouhy Devledian (1923-2013), a former American Academy teacher and the author of the book “Guiding in Cyprus: Period 1945-1990” and her autobiography, she was amongst the founders of the Girl Guides Association of Cyprus, which she served as its General Commissioner (1987–1990).
• Keghdzin Guebenlian (1918-2003), a pianist and piano teacher in Nicosia.
• Shahe Guebenlian (1920–2007), a militant journalist and once the Editor-in-Chief of the Cyprus Mail newspaper (1948–1950). From 1953 until his retirement he was a correspondent and, later on, a manager of Reuters in London, United Kingdom.
• Dr. Vatche Kalbian (1923–1992), a top cardiologist, once the Head of the Department of Pathology and later Director of the Nicosia General Hospital.
• Hagop Keheyan (1922–2013), an entrepreneur and member of the consular corps, amongst the co-founders the Cyprus Anti-Cancer Society (1971) and the “Arodhaphnousa” Hospice in Strovolos (1975). In the 1990s he also served as Chairman of the Cyprus Heart Association.
• Kevork K. Keshishian (1909–1996), a diligent researcher and the author of Cyprus best-selling tourist guide “Romantic Cyprus”, as well as of the books “Nicosia, Capital of Cyprus Then and Now” and “Famagusta Town and District”
• Haigaz Mangoian (1907–1970), a photographer and the co-author of the reference book “The Island of Cyprus” who thrived in Nicosia.
• Hagop Palamoudian (1910-1996), a long-serving Chief Scout and first General Scout Commissioner of Cyprus (1960-1962).
• Manoug Parikian (1920–1987), a top-ranking world-class concert violinist and violin professor in the United Kingdom, with numerous concerts and recordings.
• Khoren Paroyian (1914–1983), the Catholicos of Cilicia between 1963–1983.
• Edward Voskeritchian (1902–1990), a photographer who thrived in Limassol.
• Sona Yeghiayian (1915-2007), a former Director of St. John Ambulance Brigade and amongst its longest-serving members.
• Siroun Yenovkian (1914-2010), a music composer and violinist in Nicosia.
• Giragos Zartarian (1915-1962), a photographer who thrived in Nicosia.

20th century (post-Genocide)

The descendants of the Armenian Genocide survivors have also excelled in various fields. The following is a list of internationally and/or locally recognised Armenian-Cypriots:

• Sahag Ayvazian (1929–2003), the Armenian Prelate of Greece between 1958–2003.
• Sebouh Abcarian (1930- ), a renowned artist (musician, painter, sculptor), who is the conductor of the KOHAR Symphony Orchestra and Choir. He mainly lives in Gyumri, Armenia.
• Haroutune Bedelian (1945- ), a concert violinist and currently a violin professor at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), with numerous concerts and recordings.
• Levon Chilingirian (1948- ), a violinist, conductor and music professor at the Royal College of Music who thrives in London, United Kingdom.
• Sona Gargaloyan (1971- ), a pianist, soprano singer and phonetics professor living in Nicosia.
• Marios Garoyian (1961- ), the current Chairman of the DIKO party and the ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives of Cyprus (2008–2011).
• John Guevherian (1948- ), a painter and architect living in Nicosia.
• Diran Gureghian (1948- ), the Archbishop of Armenians in Russia and New Nakhichevan (1976–2001). He continues to be Archbishop for a group of non-Etchmiadzin followers in Moscow, Russia.
• Dr. Vartkes Kassouni (1931- ), a long-serving senior minister of the Armenian Evangelical Church (1957–present) who lives in California, United States.
• Nouritza Matossian (1948- ), a writer, actress, broadcaster and human rights activist who thrives in London, United Kingdom.
• Dr. Akabi Nassibian-Ekmekdjian (1929- ), former Headmistress of the Melkonian Educational Institute (1985–1988), a historian with a PhD from the University of Oxford and the author of the book “Great Britain and the Armenian Question”, who lives in Limassol.
• Benon Sevan (1937- ), once the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations (1992–2005) and the Head of the Oil-for-Food Programme (1996–2005). He lives in Nicosia.
• Zaven V. Sinanian (1960- ), Judge in the Los Angeles Superior Court (2002–present) and previously Deputy Attorney-General of California (1989-2002).
• Dr. Manoug J. Somakian (1960- ), former diplomat, professor at the Webster University in Bangkok, Thailand, with a PhD from the University of London and the author of the book “Empires in Conflict: Armenia and the Great Powers 1895-1920”
• Vartan Tashdjian (1941- ), former Headmaster of the Nareg Armenian Schools (1975–2001), current Chairman of the Armenian Schools' Committee and painter, poet and writer living in Nicosia
• Vahan Terzian (1953-1998), several times Cyprus Rally champion and one of the most important rally drivers in Cyprus
• Hayrabed Torossian (1938-2012), a Scoutmaster and veteran cellist in Nicosia
• Shake Varsian (1925–1996), novelist and journalist who thrived in Yerevan, Armenia
• Ara Vorsganian (1934- ), a violinist in Nicosia, once assistant conductor of the Cyprus State Chamber Orchestra

Timeline

• 578 AD: The first documented presence of Armenians in Cyprus.
• 610–641: Some Armenians arrive during the reign of Armenian-descended Byzantine Emperor Heraclius for political reasons.
• 717–728: Some Armenians arrive during the pontificate of Catholicos Hovhannes Odznetsi for commercial reasons.
• 965: More Armenians arrive after the liberation of Cyprus from the Arab raids by patrician Niketas Chalkoutzes for military reasons.
• 973: Catholicos Khatchig I establishes the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus in Nicosia.
• 1136–1138: Byzantine Emperor John II Comnenus moves the entire population of the Armenian city of Tell Hamdun to Cyprus.
• 1185: Byzantine Duke Isaac Comnenus brings with him Armenian warriors after his wedding to the daughter of Prince Thoros II.
• 1267: Several Armenians flee to Cyprus after the Fall of Jerusalem.
• 1291: Many Armenians arrive in Cyprus after the Fall of Acre.
• 1309: King Oshin exiles to Cyprus a large number of Armenians who were against the decision of the Latinophile Council of Sis.
• 1322: 30.000 Armenians escape to Cyprus after the Saracen attacks on Cilicia.
• 1335 and 1346: A new wave of Armenian refugees arrives in Cyprus after the Mameluke attacks on Cilicia.
• 1403 and 1421: Thousands of Armenians arrive in Cyprus after the Ottoman conquest of Cilicia.
• 1441: Some Armenians from Cilicia are encouraged to settle in Famagusta.
• December 1467: After a prolonged drought and a Litany offered by Armenian Archbishop Sarkis, rains immediately fall and the inhabitants of Nicosia rejoice.
• May 1571: The Notre Dame de Tyre or Tortosa church is officially granted to the Armenians of Nicosia by a firman.
• 3 January 1814: Official inauguration of Saint Macarius' chapel at the Magaravank.
• July 1821: Amongst the 470 executions by the Ottomans is the Armenian priest of Nicosia, der Bedros.
• 1860: The belfry of the Virgin Mary church in Nicosia is constructed, by donation of Hapetig Nevrouzian, one of the first in Ottoman Cyprus.
• 1894–1896: The Hamidian massacres take place in Ottoman Turkey, resulting in 300.000 deaths. About 1.000 Armenians find refuge in Cyprus, of whom only about 100 stay. These refugees hailed mainly from Dikranagerd, Aintab and Kilis.
• 8 September 1901: The students of Vahan Kurkjian's Orphanage erect the heap monument for Abbot Mekhitar of Sebaste.
• 1909: The Adana massacre takes place in the Adana province, resulting in 30.000 deaths. About 2.000 Armenians flee to Cyprus; almost all of them return within the year.
• 20 May 1914: Senior Archimandrite Serovpe Samvelian inaugurates Saint Stepen's church in Larnaca.
• 1915–1923: Ottomans and Young Turks perpetrate the Armenian Genocide, causing over 1.500.000 deaths. About 8.000 Armenian refugees arrive in Cyprus, of whom about 1.300 settle permanently. These refugees mainly hailed from Adana, Silifke, Sis, Marash, Tarsus, Caesarea, Hadjin and Aintab.
• 1916–1918: The Armenian Legion is formed and trained in Monarga, near Boghazi, consisting of over 4.000 Diasporan Armenians, who later fought the Ottoman Empire.
• 30 June 1918: Archbishop Taniel Hagopian consecrates Saint Stephen’s church in Larnaca.
• 15 February 1924: High Commissioner Sir Malcolm Stevenson lays the foundation stone for the Melkonian Educational Institute.
• 13 February 1926: Archbishop Zaven der Yeghiayian inaugurates the Melkonian Educational Institute.
• 2 August 1931: Catholicos Sahag II and Archbishop Bedros Saradjian unveil the mortar obelisk on top of Mekhitar’s Hill at the Magaravank.
• 24 April 1932: Archbishop Bedros Saradjian unveils the mortar Genocide monument in old Nicosia.
• 8 September 1933: Catholicos Sahag II unveils the stone column at the square of the Magaravank.
• 14 January 1945: Archimandrite Krikor Bahlavouni celebrates the first Liturgy in almost four centuries at the Ganchvor church in Famagusta.
• 28 July 1946: Pastor Yohanna Der Megerditchian lays the foundation stone of the Armenian Evangelical church in Nicosia.
• 1 July 1947: Pastor Yohanna Der Megerditchian dedicates the Armenian Evangelical church in Nicosia.
• 11 April 1948: Bishop Ghevont Chebeyan consecrates Saint George’s church in Limassol.
• 2 May 1948: Bishop Ghevont Chebeyan blesses the Archangels' artesian fountain near the Magaravank.
• 17 November 1951: Bishop Ghevont Chebeyan inaugurates the old Limassol Armenian School.
• 17 November 1953: Transmission of the first Armenian broadcast on CyBC radio.
• 24 April 1954: Bishop Ghevont Chebeyan lays the foundation stone for the marble Mausoleum of the Melkonian Brothers.
• 15 January 1956: Bishop Ghevont Chebeyan unveils the marble Mausoleum of the Melkonian Brothers.
• 8 March 1957: Arson of the Ganchvor church by extremist Turkish-Cypriots.
• 5 August 1960: Berge Tilbian is voted Armenian Representative at the Greek Communal Chamber, securing 60,49% of the votes.
• 16 August 1960: Cyprus gains its Independence; Armenians are recognised as a “religious group” by the Constitution.
• 13 November 1960: Armenian-Cypriots opt in the referendum to belong to the Greek-Cypriot community.
• 15 July 1961: Limassol's Mayor Costas Partasides delivers the golden key of the Limassol Armenian cemetery to Mihran Bastadjian, Chairman of Limassol's Armenian church committee
• 21 December 1963 – 26 March 1964: Intercommunal troubles; extremist Turkish-Cypriots take over the Armenian Quarter of Nicosia and the Ganchvor church in Famagusta
• 19 July 1970: Dr. Antranik L. Ashdjian is elected Armenian Representative in the House of Representatives, securing 56,30% of the votes
• 16 April 1972: Chief Scout Commissioner Demetris Demetriou unveils the cement monument, built to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Melkonian Educational Institute's 7th Scout Group.
• 12 November 1972: Archbishop Makarios III and Catholicos Khoren I inaugurate the new Nareg School in Nicosia
• 24 April 1975: Recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the House of Representatives
• 25 September 1976: Archbishop Makarios III and Bishop Nerses Pakhdigian lay the foundation stone for the new Virgin Mary church in Strovolos, Nicosia
• 3 October 1976: Dr. Antranik L. Ashdjian is re-elected Armenian Representative in the House of Representatives, securing 50,96% of the votes
• 12 April 1977: Headmistress Sosse Bedigian and School Committee Vice-Chairman Hovhannes Sheohmelian unveil the stone monument, erected to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Melkonian Educational Institute's 7th Scout Group
• 16 April 1978: Co-adjutor Catholicos Karekin II blesses the 16 columns of the Virgin Mary church in Strovolos, Nicosia.
• 10 December 1979: Strovolos Improvement Board renames Cyclops street into Armenia street. The street sign is officially placed on 15 January 1980.
• 8 May 1981: AGBU President Alec Manougian unveils the twin monument for the Armenian Alphabet and Mother Armenia at the Melkonian.
• 22 November 1981: Catholicos Khoren I and Co-adjutor Catholicos Karekin II inaugurate and consecrate the new Virgin Mary church in Strovolos, Nicosia.
• 14 March 1982: Aram Kalaydjian is elected Armenian Representative in the House of Representatives, securing 58,36% of the votes.
• 24 April 1982: Bishop Zareh Aznavorian and Archbishop Ardavazt Terterian unveil the marble plaque placed at Acropolis Park in memory of the Armenian Genocide.
• 4 March 1984: Catholicos Karekin II inaugurates the new building of the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus.
• 13 July 1986: Aram Kalaydjian is re-elected Armenian Representative in the House of Representatives, securing 65,08% of the votes.
• 24 May 1987: President Spyros Kyprianou lays the foundation stone for the new boarding section of the Melkonian.
• 30 May 1987: President Spyros Kyprianou inaugurates the new AYMA club house.
• 1 August 1987: The foundation stone of the Kalaydjian Rest Home for the Elderly is laid.
• 6 March 1988: Minister of Interior Christodoulos Veniamin inaugurates the Kalaydjian Rest Home for the Elderly in Strovolos, Nicosia.
• 21 October 1989: Acting President Vassos Lyssarides inaugurates the new boarding section of the Melkonian.
• 22 October 1989: AGBU President Alec Manougian inaugurates the new Nicosia AGBU club house.
• 19 April 1990: The House of Representatives recognises 24 April as National Remembrance Day for the Armenian Genocide.
• 24 March 1991: Representative Aram Kalaydjian unveils the sandstone statue of Saint Gregory of Nareg in front of the Nicosia Armenian School.
• 24 April 1991: Official presentation of the new Armenian Genocide monument, in the courtyard of the Virgin Mary church in Strovolos, Nicosia.
• 19 May 1991: Aram Kalaydjian is re-elected Armenian Representative in the House of Representatives, securing 67,00% of the votes.
• 22 October 1995: Bedros Kalaydjian is elected Armenian Representative in the House of Representatives in a by-election, securing 60,34% of the votes.
• 15 December 1995: Catholicos Aram I lays the foundation stone for the Holy Saviour of All chapel at the Kalaydjian Rest Home for the Elderly.
• 18 May 1996: President Glafcos Clerides inaugurates the new Nareg School in Larnaca.
• 26 May 1996: Bedros Kalaydjian is re-elected Armenian Representative in the House of Representatives, securing 73,91% of the votes.
• 16 February 1997: Catholicos Aram I consecrates the Holy Saviour of All chapel at the Kalaydjian Rest Home for the Elderly.
• 3 February 1999: Catholicos Aram I inaugurates the “Vahram Utidjian” Hall at the basement of the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus.
• 23 March 2001: Aglandjia Municipality renames Ephesus street into Melkonian street. The street sign is officially unveiled on 7 April 2001 by Mayor Andreas Petrou.
• 27 May 2001: Bedros Kalaydjian is re-elected Armenian Representative in the House of Representatives, securing 57,13% of the votes.
• 21 October 2001: Presidential Commissioner Manolis Christophides unveils the marble khachkar (cross-stone) dedicated to the eternal friendship of Armenians and Greeks in Cyprus, in front of the Virgin Mary church in Strovolos, Nicosia.
• 28 April 2002: Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian unveils the marble tomb-ossuary in front of the AYMA club house.
• 1 December 2002: Armenian is recognised as a minority language in Cyprus.
• 1 May 2005: Donator Alecco Bezikian unveils the bronze bust of Archbishop Zareh Aznavorian in the courtyard of the Virgin Mary church in Strovolos, Nicosia.
• 9 October 2005: Dr. Vahakn Atamyan is elected Armenian Representative in the House of Representatives in a by-election, securing 52,03% of the votes.
• 21 May 2006: Vartkes Mahdessian is elected Armenian Representative in the House of Representatives, securing 52,60% of the votes.
• 28 June 2006: President Tassos Papadopoulos inaugurates the “Alice and Arousiag Raphaelian” wing of the Kalaydjian Rest Home for the Elderly.
• 24 November 2006: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan lays the foundation stone for the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Larnaca.
• 28 May 2008: President Demetris Christofias unveils the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Larnaca.
• 28 September 2008: Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian unveils the tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone) in front of the Saint George church in Limassol.
• 5 November 2008: President Demetris Christofias inaugurates the new Nareg School in Limassol.
• 28 February 2010: Representative Vartkes Mahdessian inaugurates the new AYMA hall.
• 11 April 2010: Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian re-consecrates Saint Paul's chapel at the old Armenian cemetery in Nicosia and celebrates the first Liturgy since 1963. Official presentation of the inscription containing the names of the 419 people buried there.
• 8 May 2010: Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian and Representative Vartkes Mahdessian inaugurate the renovated functions’ hall next to the Saint George church in Limassol.
• 5 May 2011: President Demetris Christofias inaugurates the new Larnaca AGBU club house.
• 17 May 2011: Minister of Education and Culture Dr. Andreas Demetriou inaugurates the new Nicosia Nareg auditorium.
• 22 May 2011: Vartkes Mahdessian is re-elected as Armenian Representative in the House of Representatives, securing 67,67% of the votes.
• 25 December 2011: Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian consecrates the tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone) dedicated to the centennial of the Adana massacre and the myriads of martyrs of the Armenian nation, located in front of Saint Stephen church in Larnaca.
• 26 February 2012: Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian and Fr. Mashdots Ashkarian consecrate the tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone) dedicated to all deceased of the Armenian nation in Larnaca, located at the Armenian cemetery in Larnaca.

See also

• Armenia–Cyprus relations
• Armenians in Greece
• Armenians in Turkey
• Armenians in the United Kingdom
• Languages of Cyprus

Notes

• PIO Booklet "The Armenians of Cyprus"
• PIO Booklet "Οι Αρμένιοι της Κύπρου"
• Book on the Armenians of Cyprus
• Brochure on the Armenians of Cyprus
• The Armenian-Cypriot community (article in Greek)
• The Armenian education in Cyprus (CHRONICLE in Greek)
• The Republic of Cyprus and the Religious Groups (book in Greek)
• Presentation on the Armenian-Cypriot community (in Greek)
• Armenians in Cyprus (schools, churches, clubs)
• Information on the Armenians of Cyprus

References

Useful Bibliography

Books

• Բակուրան: Կիպրոս կղզի, Աշխարհագրական եւ պատմական տեսութիւն, Հայ Գաղթականութիւն (Տպարան Ազգային Կրթարան-Որբանոցի, Նիկոսիա: 1903).
• ԲԱԿ: Հայ Կիպրոս, Հայ գաղութը եւ Ս. Մակար (Տպարան Դպրեվանույ Կաթողիկոսութեան Կիլիկիոյ, Անթիլիաս: 1936).
• Ղեւոնդ Եպիսկուոս: Յիշատակարան Կիպրահայ գաղութի (Տպարան Դպրեվանույ Կաթողիկոսութեան Կիլիկիոյ, Անթիլիաս: 1955).
• Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն: ՀԲԸՄ Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն (Համառօտ Ակնարկ) (Նիկոսիա: 1957).
• Տիգրան Յ. Պօյաճեան: Հայկական Լէգէոնը, Պատմական Յուշագրութիւն (Ուօթրթաուն Մէս: 1965).
• Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն: Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն, 40 Յուշամատեան (Նիկոսիա: 1967).
• Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն: Համառօտ Տեղեկատու 1966–1967 (Նիկոսիա: 1967).
• Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն: Համառօտ Տեղեկատու 1970–1971 (Նիկոսիա: 1971).
• Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն: ՀԲԸՄ-ՄԿՀ 1932–1972 Յուշամատեան (Նիկոսիա: 1972).
• Նարեկ Ազգային Վարժարաններ: Համառօտ Տեղեկատու 1975–1976 (Նիկոսիա: 1977).
• Առաջնորդարան Հայոց Կիպրոսի: Յիշատակի գիրք Նիկոսիոյ Ս. Աստուածածին եկեղեցւոյ նաւակատիքին եւ օծման (Նիկոսիա: 1981).
• Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն: Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն, 60 Յոբելենական Հանդիսութիւններ (Նիկոսիա: 1986).
• Անանիա Մահտեսեան: ՀԵՄ Յուշամատեան (Նիկոսիա: 1987).
• Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն: Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն, 1926–1986 Յուշամատեան (Նիկոսիա: 1987).
• Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն: Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն (Նիկոսիա: 1987).
• Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն: Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն (Նիկոսիա: 1991).
• Եղիշէ Ծ. Վրդ. Մանճիկեան: Ն.Ս.Օ.Տ.Տ. Արամ Ա. Կաթողիկոսին Մեծի Տանն Կիլիկիոյ հովուապետական անդրանիկ այցելութիւնը Կիպրոսի Հայոց Թեմին: 13–20 Դեկտեմբեր 1995 (Տպարան Կաթողիկոսութեան Հայոց Մեծի Տանն Կիլիկիոյ, Անթիլիաս: 1996).
• Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն: Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն, 70 Յոբելենական Հանդիսութիւններ (Նիկոսիա: 1996).
• Susan Paul Pattie: Faith in History; Armenians rebuilding community (Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington: 1997).
• Γραφείο Προεδρικού Επιτρόπου: Επιζώντες θησαυροί από τη Μονή Αγίου Μακαρίου (Αρμενομονάστηρο) (Γραφείο Προεδρικού Επιτρόπου, Λευκωσία: 2000).
• Halil Aytekin: Kıbrıs'ta Monarga (Boğaztepe) Ermeni Lejyonu Kampı (Türk Tarih Kurumu Yayınları, Ankara: 2000).
• Αρμενική Μητρόπολη Κύπρου: 1700 χρόνια Χριστιανισμού στην Αρμενία (Λευκωσία: 2001).
• Melkonian Educational Institute: 75 Տարի/75 Χρόνια/75 Years – Ադամանդեայ Յոբելինական Հանդիսութիւններ – Εορτασμοί Διαμαντένιας Επετείου – Diamond Jubilee Celebrations (Nicosia: 2001).
• Χρίστος Ιακώβου, Μαρία Μετέ & Βαχάν Αϊνετζιάν: Αρμένιοι της Κύπρου, ΧΡΟΝΙΚΟ with “Politis” newspaper (Issue 48, 21 April 2008).
• Armenian Prelature of Cyprus: Η Αρμενική Εκκλησία στην Κύπρο/Հայաստանեայց Եկեղեցի Կիպրոսի մէջ/The Armenian Church in Cyprus (Nicosia: 2003).
• Հայկաշէն Ուզունեան: Յուշամատեան Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութեան (Ազգ, Երեւան: 2004).
• Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն Լիբանանի Սաուց Միութիւն: Փրկե'նք Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւնը (Պէյրութ: 2005).
• Αχιλλέας Κ. Αιμιλιανίδης: Το καθεστώς της Αρμενικής Εκκλησίας της Κύπρου (Power Publishing, Λευκωσία: 2006).
• Sossie Kasbarian: Rooted and Routed: The contemporary Armenian Diaspora in Cyprus and Lebanon (Ph.D. Thesis, University of London, School of Oriental and African studies, 2006).
• Dr. Ulvi Keser: Kıbrıs-Anadolu Ekseninde: Ermeni Doğu Lejyonu (Kıbrıs Türk Kültür Derneği, Ankara: 2007).
• Αλέξανδρος-Μιχαήλ Χατζηλύρας: Οι Αρμένιοι της Κύπρου, ΧΡΟΝΙΚΟ with “Politis” newspaper (Issue 30, 14 September 2008).
• Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra: The Armenians of Cyprus (Kalaydjian Foundation, Larnaca: 2009).
• Αρμενική Εθνική Επιτροπή Κύπρου: Τελετή Απονομής του τίτλου "Προσωπικότητα της Χρονιάς" για το 2009 Στον Πρόεδρο της Βουλής των Αντιπροσώπων Μάριο Καρογιάν (Αρμενική Εθνική Επιτροπή Κύπρου, Λευκωσία: 2009).
• Χρύσανθος Χρυσάνθου: ΜΕΛΚΟΝΙΑΝ: Το εκπαιδευτικό ίδρυμα που κράτησε αλώβητη την παιδεία και τον πολιτισμό των Αρμενίων στην Κύπρο, ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΠΟΛΗΣ ΜΟΥ with “Phileleftheros” newspaper (Issue 31, 24 May 2009).
• John Matossian: Silent partners: the Armenians and Cyprus 578–1878 (Lusignan Press, Nicosia: 2009).
• Andrekos Varnava, Nicholas Courea and Marina Elia (Eds): The minorities of Cyprus, development patterns and the identity of the internal-exclusion (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle: 2009).
• Αλέξανδρος-Μιχαήλ Χατζηλύρας: Οι Αρμένιοι της Κύπρου (Ίδρυμα Καλαϊτζιάν, Λάρνακα: 2009).
• Վարուժան Արքեպիսկոպոս: Ատանայի վկաները եւ Սուրբ Ստեփանոս վկայարանը, 1909, Լառնագա (Նիկոսիա: 2010).
• Եղիա Գայայեան: Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութեան Յուշամատեան (Պէյրութ: 2010).
• Αναστασιά Σιακαλλή: ΑΥΜΑ, Ένωση Αρμενίων Νέων: Η μακρόχρονη ιστορία του συλλόγου στον αθλητισμό και τον πολιτισμό, ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΠΟΛΗΣ ΜΟΥ with “Phileleftheros” newspaper (Issue 45, 8 August 2010).
• Achilles Emilianides: Religion and Law in Cyprus (Kluwer Law International, The Hague: 2011).
• Վարուժան Արքեպիսկոպոս: Թղթակցութիւն Սակահ Բ. Կաթողիկոսի եւ Պետրոս Արք. Սարաճեանի (Նիկոսիա: 2011).
• Վարուժան Արքեպիսկոպոս: Կիպրոսի Թեմի հովուական կարգը եւ Թեմական կազմաւորութիւնը (Նիկոսիա: 2011).
• Αλέξανδρος-Μιχαήλ Χατζηλύρας: Η αρμένικη εκπαίδευση στην Κύπρο, ΧΡΟΝΙΚΟ with “Politis” newspaper (Issue 188, 6 November 2011).
• Վարուժան Արքեպիսկոպոս: Տարագրութիւն, որբերշ Մելգոնեան Հաստատութիւն (Նիկոսիա: 2011).
• Նարեկ Հայկական Վարժարաններ: Նարեկ Վարժարաններ Կիպրոս – 40 (Նիկոսիա: 2012).
• Αλέξανδρος-Μιχαήλ Χατζηλύρας: Η Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία και οι Θρησκευτικές Ομάδες (Λευκωσία: 2012).
• Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra: The Armenians of Cyprus (Press and Information Office, Nicosia: 2012).
• Αλέξανδρος-Μιχαήλ Χατζηλύρας: Οι Αρμένιοι της Κύπρου (Γραφείο Τύπου και Πληροφοριών, Λευκωσία: 2012).

Published articles

• Emma Cons: Armenian Exiles in Cyprus [Contemporary Review, No. 70, p. 888–895], London: 1896.
• Mr and Mrs Patrick Geddes: Cyprus And Its Power to Help the East [text in Report of the International Conference on Armenian Aid, p. 2–15], London: 1897.
• Արշակ Ալպօյաճեան: Կիպրոս Կղզին, իր անցեալն ու ներկան [Թէոդիկի Ամէնուն Տարեցոյցը, 21րդ Տարի (1926), էջ. 192–239], Փարիզ: 1927.
• Noubar Maxoudian: An Early Colony: History of the Armenians in Cyprus [Armenian Review, Vol. XI, No. 1 (Spring 1958), p. 73–77], Watertown, Massachusetts: 1958.
• Կարօ Գէորգեան: Պատմութիւն Կիպրոսի եւ Կիպրահայ Գաղութը [Ամենուն Տարեգիրքը, Ը Տարի (1960), էջ. 333–426], Պէյրութ: 1961.
• Greek Communal Chamber: Minorities in Cyprus [Cyprus Today, Vol. II, No. 1 (January–February 1964), p. 9–20], Nicosia: 1964.
• Avedis K. Sanjian: The Diocese of Cyprus [part of Chapter VI, The Armenian Communities in Syria under Ottoman Dominion, p. 160–167], Harvard: 1965.
• Costas P. Kyrris: Military Colonies in Cyprus in the Byzantine Period, their Character, Purpose and Extent [Byzantinoslavica, Issue XXXI (1970), p. 157–181], Prague: 1970.
• Criton G. Tornaritis: The legal position of the Armenian religious group (1961) [Constitutional and legal problems of the Republic of Cyprus, p. 83–90], Nicosia: 1972.
• Noubar Maxoudian: A brief history of the Armenians in Cyprus (1936) [Armenian Review, Vol. XXVII, No. 4 (Winter 1974), p. 398–416], Watertown, Massachusetts: 1974.
• Paul Sergy: Les petites minorités à Chypre (Maronites, Arméniens, et «Latins») [Revue Française d’Etudes Politiques Méditerranéennes, No. 18–19, p. 75–82]. Paris: 1976.
• Λουκής Παπαφιλίππου: Συνταγματικά προβλήματα από την εκπροσώπηση των θρησκευτικών ομάδων των Αρμενίων, Λατίνων και Μαρωνιτών στη Βουλή των Αντιπροσώπων [Κυπριακό Νομικό Βήμα, Νο. 4 (1991), σελ. 626–638]. Λευκωσία: 1991.
• Susan Pattie: Armenian Diaspora Life in Cyprus and London [Armenian Review, Vol. XLIV, No. 1 (Spring 1991), p. 37–57], Watertown, Massachusetts: 1991.
• Gérard Dédéyan: Les Arméniens à Chypre de la fin du XIe au début du XIIIe siècle [Les Lusignans et L’Outre-Mer, Actes du Colloque (1993), p. 122–131]. Poitiers: Université de Poitiers: 1994.
• Nicholas Coureas: Lusignan Cyprus and Lesser Armenia (1195–1375) [Επετηρίς Κέντρου Επιστημονικών Ερευνών Κύπρου, Vol. XXI, p. 35–66], Nicosia: 1995.
• Caesar V. Mavratsas: The Armenians of Cyprus: A Study in Ethnic Identity and Institutions [Travaux de la Maison de l’ Orient Méditerranéen No. 25 (1994), p. 103–109], Lyon: 1996.
• Νίκος Κουρέας: Οι δυναστικές και στρατιωτικές σχέσεις μεταξύ της Κύπρου και της Μικρής Αρμενίας κατά την περίοδο 1195–1375 [Επιστημονική Επετηρίς της Κυπριακής Εταιρείας Ιστορικών Σπουδών, τόμος Γ' (1996), σελ. 9–28], Λευκωσία: 1997.
• Emel Akçalı: The ‘Other’ Cypriots and their Cyprus Questions [The Cyprus Review, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Fall 2007), p. 57–82], Nicosia: 1997.
• Guévork Gotikian: La Légion d'Orient et le mandat français en Cilicie (1916–1921) [Revue d'histoire arménienne contemporaine, Tome III (1999), p. 251–324], Paris: 1999.
• Jacob G. Ghazarian: Cyprus: a stepping stone [The Armenian Kingdom in Cilicia during the Crusades: The integration of Cilician Armenians with the Latins, 1080–1393, p. 131–154]. London: Routledge, 2000.
• Gilles Grivaud: Les minorités orientales à Chypre (Époques médiévale et moderne) [Travaux de la Maison de l’ Orient Méditerranéen No. 31 (1997), p. 43–70]. Lyon: 2000.
• Caesar V. Mavratsas: Armenian Identity and Greek Nationalism in Cyprus [Travaux de la Maison de l’ Orient Méditerranéen No. 31 (1997), p. 197–205], Lyon: 2000.
• Nicholas Coureas: Non-Chalcedonian Christians on Latin Cyprus [Dei gesta per Francos: Crusade Studies in Honour of Jean Richard, p. 349–360], Surrey: 2001.
• Kevork Keshishian: The Armenian community of Cyprus: 6th century AD to present day (1995) [ed. Ruth Keshishian; Cyprus Today, Vol. XL, No 1 (January–April 2002) p. 22–40], Nicosia: 2002.
• Akif Erdoğru: Kıbrıs Ermenileri Üzerine Notlar (1580–1640) [Tarih İncelemeleri Dergisi, Vol. XVII, No. 1 (Temmuz 2002), s. 1–12], İzmir: 2002.
• Գևորգ Քեշիշյան & Մարգարիտ Բաղդասարյան: Կիպրոս [Հայ Սփյուռք Հանրագիտարան, Էջ. 343–349], Երևան: 2003.
• Caesar V. Mavratsas: The Armenians and the Maronites of Cyprus: Comparative Considerations Considering Ethnic Assimilation [Travaux de la Maison de l’ Orient Méditerranéen No. 37 (2001), p. 205–210], Lyon: 2003.
• Charalambos K. Papastathis: Le statut légal des religions dans la République de Chypre [L’année canonique, No. XLV (2003), p. 267–286], Paris: 2003.
• Achilles Emilianides: State and Church in Cyprus [State and Church in the European Union, p. 231–252], Baden: 2005.
• Αχιλλεύς Αιμιλιανίδης: Γνωμάτευση: Ποιοι Θεωρούνται ως Μέλη Θρησκευτικών Ομάδων σύμφωνα με το Κυπριακό Σύνταγμα, [Λυσίας, No. 1 (2006), σελ. 26–31], Λευκωσία: 2006.
• Dr. Mehmet Demiryürek: Ermeni Olayları ve Kıbrıs (1888–1912) [Ermeni Araştırmaları, No. 20–21 (Kış 2005 – İlkbahar 2006), s. 115–136], Ankara: 2006.
• Achilles Emilianides: Il finanziamento delle cinque religioni: il caso cipriota [Quaderni di diritto e politica ecclesiastica, No. 1 (Aprile 2006), p. 107–124], Bologna: 2006.
• Achilles Emilianides: Religion and the State in Dialogue: Cyprus [Religion and Law in Dialogue: Covenantal and Non-Covenantal Cooperation Between State and Religion in Europe, p. 19–31], Leuven: 2006.
• Dr. Ulvi Keser: Osmanlıda Birlikte Yaşama Sanatı Bağlamında Kıbrıs’ta Ermeniler [Osmanlı’da Birlikte Yaşama Sanatı, Cilt IV, s. 447–476], Kayseri: 2006.
• Dr. Ali Efdal Özkul: Social and Economic Life of Cypriot Armenians in the 18th Century [Armenians in the Ottoman Society, Vol. I, p. 171-183], Kayseri: 2008.
• Dr. Akif Erdoğru: Kıbrıs Ermenileri 1580–1640 [Kıbrıs’ta Osmanlılar, s. 55–67], Galeri Kültür Yayınları, Lefkoşa: 2008.
• Dr. Ulvi Keser: Turkish-Armenian Social Life and Relations in Cyprus [Armenians in the Ottoman Society, Vol. II, p. 457-487], Kayseri: 2008.
• Nicholas Coureas: Between the Latins and Native Tradition: The Armenians in Lusignan Cyprus, 1191–1473 [L’ Église arménienne entre Grecs et Latins: fin XIe – milieu XVe siècle, p. 205–214], Montpellier: 2009.
• Irene Dietzel, Vasilios N. Makrides: Ethno-Religious Coexistence and Plurality in Cyprus under British Rule (1878–1960) [Social Compass, Vol. 56, No. 1 (April 2009), p. 69–83], Louvain-la-Neuve: 2009.
• Σαμβέλ Ραμαζιάν: Αρμενική Κιλικία και Κύπρος. Αρμενο-κυπριακές στρατιωτικές σχέσεις [Ιστορία των αρμενο-ελληνικών στρατιωτικών σχέσεων και συνεργασίας/Հայ-Հունական ռազմական առնչություններին եւ համագործակցության պատություն, σελ. 126–133], Αθήνα: 2010.
• Andrekos Varnava: The State of Cypriot Minorities: Cultural Diversity, Internal-Exclusion and the Cyprus ‘Problem’ [The Cyprus Review, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Fall 2010), p. 205–218], Nicosia: 2010.
• Αλέξανδρος-Μιχαήλ Χατζηλύρας: Η αρμενοκυπριακή κοινότητα [Ιστορία της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας, τόμος 3ος (1980–1989), σελ. 182–201], Λευκωσία: 2011.
• Αλέξανδρος-Μιχαήλ Χατζηλύρας: Η διαχρονική παρουσία της αρμενοκυπριακής κοινότητας [Ενατενίσεις, Νο. 14 (Μάιος–Αύγουστος 2011), σελ. 141–149], Λευκωσία: 2011.
• Susan Pattie: Imagining Homelands: Poetics and Performance among Cypriot Armenians [Cyprus and the Politics of Memory: History, Community, Conflict, p. 140-167], London: 2012.
• Achilles C. Emilianides: Constitutional Problems of Minorities (protection of minorities and group rights) [Constitutional Law in Cyprus, p. 186-192], Hague: 2013.
• Sossie Kasbarian: Diasporic Voices from the Peripheries – Armenian Experiences on the Edges of Community in Cyprus and Lebanon [The Cyprus Review, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Spring 2013), p. 81-110], Nicosia: 2013.
• Susan Pattie: Refugees and Citizens: The Armenians of Cyprus [The Cyprus Review, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Spring 2013), p. 133-145], Nicosia: 2013.

Unpublished articles

• Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra: The Armenians of Cyprus.
• Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra: The multicultural character of Cyprus.
• Anahid Eskidjian: The Armenians in Cyprus.
• Δρ. Αντρανίκ Αστζιάν: Η Αρμενική κοινότητα της Κύπρου από τον 20ο αιώνα.
• Δρ. Αντώνης Α. Μαδέλλας: Διεργασίες διαμόρφωσης του κυπριακού συνταγματικού πλαισίου του 1960 προστασίας των μικρότερων θρησκευτικών ομάδων: προσπάθεια ιστορικής ανασκόπησης μέσω ανέκδοτων πηγών.
• Αρχιεπίσκοπος Βαρουζάν Χεργκελιάν: Οι σφαγές των Αρμενίων... από τα Άδανα στη Σμύρνη.
• Hubert Faustmann: Ethnic and religious minorities during the transitional period 1959–1960. The struggle for recognition and political rights.
• Κεβόρκ Ζεϊτουντσιάν: Ιστορική πορεία της Αρμενικής κοινότητας στην Κύπρο.
• Κεβόρκ Κ. Κεσισιάν: Ἡ ἱστορία τῆς αρμενικῆς κοινότητας στὴν Κύπρο.
• Sempad Devletian: The status of and matters affecting the Armenian “religious group“.
• Dr. Ulvi Keser: Social Life in Cyprus and Turko-Armenian Relations.
• Վարուժան Արքեպիսկոպոս Հերկելեան: Ատանայի կոտորածը եւ Կիպրոս.
• Vartan Tashdjian: The Armenian community of Cyprus.
• Vartan Tashdjian: The Armenians and the Armenian community of Cyprus.

Biographies and autobiographies

• Անդրանիկ Տագէսեան: Վահան Պէտէլեան, Երաժիշտ-Մանկավարժը (Պէյրութ: 2004).
• Ανδρέας Καραγιάν: Η αληθής ιστορία (Εκδόσεις Καστανιώτη, Αθήνα: 2008)
• Karnig M. Tourian/Գառնիկ Մ. Դուրեան: My Memoirs/Յուշերս (Նիկոսիա: 1999).
• Թագուհի Տէվլեթեան: Ողջոյն, Կեանք (Նիկոսիա: 2007).
• John Matossian: My father's House, an Armenian boyhood in Cyprus (Lusignan Press, Nicosia: 2005).
• Joy Eramian: The Agha's children: a Cypriot Armenian Dynasty (Nicosia: 2006).
• Յակոբ Յ. Փալամուտեան: Վերապրում, Յուշեր եւ Տպաւորութիւններ (Լոնտոն: 1987)
• Յարութիւն Անմահունի: Անցեալս ինծի հետ (Տպարան Կաթողիկոսութեան Հայոց Մեծի Տանն Կիլիկիոյ, Անթիլիաս: 2009).
• Մանուէլ Ս. Քասունի: Պատմագիտական ուսումնասիրութիւններ ակնարկներ, Յուշեր եւ այլ Էջեր (Պէյրութ: 2010).
• Marie Salibian-Best: Antaram (Masis Books, Berkshire: 2005).
• Marie Salibian-Best: Chrysalis (Masis Books, Berkshire: 2009).
• Նուպար Դաւիթեան: Անցեալի Վերյիշումներ (Նիկոսիա: 2000).
• ՊԱՍ: Կեանքի մը Պայքարը (Տպարան Դպրեվանույ Կաթողիկոսութեան Կիլիկիոյ, Անթիլիաս: 1937).

Photographic albums

• Anna G. Marangou: Haigaz Mangoian 1907–1970/Χαϊγκάζ Μαγκοϊάν 1907–1970 (Popular Bank Cultural Centre, Nicosia: 1996).
• Anna Marangou, Titos Kolotas: Before traces disappear; Limassol, the old town through Edward's lens/Πριν χαθούν τ' αχνάρια: Λεμεσός, η παλιά πολιτεία μέσα από το φακό του Έντουαρντ (Popular Bank Cultural Centre, Nicosia: 2000).
• Γραφείο Προεδρικού Επιτρόπου: Α' Πολιτιστική Συνάντηση Θρησκευτικών Ομάδων – Μαρωνιτών-Αρμενίων-Λατίνων – Έκθεση Ζωγραφικής και Φωτογραφίας (Γραφείο Προεδρικού Επιτρόπου, Λευκωσία: 2000).
• Office of the Armenian Representative: Έκθεση Αρμενοκυπρίων Ζωγράφων και Φωτογράφων/Painting and Photography Exhibition by Cypriot Armenian artists (Office of the Armenian Representative, Nicosia: 2012).
• Stavros G. Lazarides: Giragos Zartarian, photographs 1935–1950/Κυρακός Ζαρταριάν, φωτογραφίες 1935–1950 (Popular Bank Cultural Centre, Nicosia: 2007).
• Stavros G. Lazarides: Panorama of Cyprus, picture postcards of Cyprus 1899–1930/Κυπριακό πανόραμα, η ομορφιά της Κύπρου από καρτ ποστάλ της εποχής 1899–1930 (Sylloges, Athens: 1987).
• Stavros G. Lazarides: The splendour and Simplicity of Cyprus, Photographs of Vahan Avedissian 1925–1950/Το μεγαλείο και η απλότητα της Κύπρου, Φωτογραφίες του Βαχάν Αβεντισσιάν 1925–1950 (Popular Bank Cultural Centre, Nicosia: 2005).
• Theodore Deryan: Cyprus/Κύπρος (Cornerstone Publications, Limassol: 2007).

External links

• cyprusarmenians.com Cyprus Armenians site
• Artsakank Armenian monthly and online publication English language section
• Gibrahayer site
• Azad Khosk site
• AGBU Cyprus site
• Kalaydjian Foundation site
• AGBU-Ararat futsal site
• Sourp Stepanos site
• Pharos Arts Foundation site
• Nareg Gymnasium

Video documentaries

• The Armenians in Cyprus (English)
• Οι Αρμένιοι στην Κύπρο (Greek)

Template:Ethnic, linguistic and cultural minorities in the European Union