Northern Cyprus, February 2, 2022
Photo: Facebook
Countless churches and other holy sites have been desecrated since Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. More than 60,000 ecclesiastical items have been stolen from churches throughout Northern Cyprus, says one local mayor.
One American priest currently on pilgrimage in Cyprus has published numerous shocking and sorrowful photos, showing the extent of the Turkish desecration of Orthodox holy sites, including churches and cemeteries.
Photo: Facebook
Fr. Panayiotis Papageorgiou, a priest of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in Georgia, writes:
On Saturday, January 29, we crossed the check-point from free Cyprus into the occupied by Turkey northern part. I was filled with many strong feelings all day and still continue to feel the pain in my heart. This part of Cyprus is so beautiful! There are many historic places that cry out the hellenic and Christian heritage of the land, a land so beautiful, but moaning under the foot of the Turkish occupiers.
Here are a few photos from our trip to give you a sense of what we encountered and how we felt:
He also writes:
The monastery of St. Barnabas near Salamis is an other desecrated and enslaved place of worship in the Northern part of Cyprus. This is where St. Barnabas returned after his first missionary trip with St. Paul, when he travelled through Cyprus. Here he lived the rest of his life teaching the Faith in Christ and spreading the Gospel. Here is also his tomb where he was burried. Come venerate with us.
The last three monks were removed from the monastery by the Turks in 1974 and the monastery was turned into a museum.
Growing up in Cyprus I visited here many times. I grew up about 20 miles away from here. Today was a very moving experience as I entered again this historic holy place.
A Serbian Orthodox cemetery in Kosovo was desecrated late last year, and an Orthodox cemetery in Kazakhstan was vandalized last week.
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