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{{church|
name=Church of Cyprus[[Image:Dikefalos Aetos.jpg|center|Church of Cyprus]]|
founder=St. [[Apostle Barnabas|Barnabas]]|
independence=431|
website=[http://www.churchofcyprus.org.cy/ Church of Cyprus]
}}
The Greek Orthodox '''Church of Cyprus''' is one of the [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] [[church]]es of the Orthodox Christian communion whose territory consists of the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. Although through the centuries the island has been occupied by various parties, the church has retained its independence. The current [[primate]] is [[Archbishop]] [[Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of Nea Justiniana|Chrysostomos II]] of Nea Justiniana and All Cyprus.
==History==
Christianity was originally brought to Cyprus by the [[Apostles]] [[Apostle Barnabas|Barnabas]] and [[Apostle Mark|Mark]] in the first century, c. 46AD and was under the jurisdiction of the [[Church of Jerusalem|Patriarchate of Jerusalem]] until 325. The Apostle Barnabas is considered to be the first [[bishop]] of Cyprus. Its autocephaly was established at the [[Council of Ephesus]] in 431, overriding the claims of the [[Church of Antioch|Patriarch of Antioch]]. In 478, the grave of St. Barnabas was found, with a copy of the [[Gospel of Matthew]] on his [[relics]]. The autocephaly of the Church of Cyprus was confirmed later that year by the Roman Emperor [[Zeno (emperor)|Zeno]] who granted its Archbishop "three privileges," that is: to sign his name in ''cinnabar'', to wear purple instead of black under his [[vestments]], and to use an imperial scepter instead of the episcopal [[crosier]].
The Arab invasions of the seventh century forced the Archbishop to flee the island to Hellespont, where under the protection of Emperor [[Justinian II]] he established a new city called Nova Justiniana (now "Nea Justiniana") in honor of the emperor. In 698, the Arabs were driven out of Cyprus and the Archbishop returned to the island, but retained the title of Archbishop of Nova Justiniana and All Cyprus. With the occupation of Cyprus by the Crusades from 1191 to 1571, the Orthodox hierarchy found itself subordinated to the occupying Latin French and Venetian kings, who forced a reduction in the number of Orthodox bishops from 14 to four. Additionally, the Latin bishops attempted to gain concessions on the differences in doctrine and practices between the two churches.
As a consequence of an attempted military coup in 1974, Turkey invaded and occupied about a third of the island, forming an independent government, with almost all Orthodox moving to the remaining Greek portion of the island. Since then within the Turkish occupied part of the island, Orthodox property has sustained substantial damage. The Turkish occupied territories contain 514 churches, chapels, and monasteries.
==OrganizationStructure==The Archbishop[[Image:Saints of Cyprus - Stavrovouni Monastery.jpg|right|thumb|Saints of Cyprus.<br>(''[[w:Stavrovouni Monastery|Stavrovouni Monastery]]''s see is located in )]]Holy Archbishopric, Lefkosia :His Beatitude the city Archbishop of [[Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of Nea Justiniana |Cyprus Chrysostomos II]], seat Nicosia. The :Bishops: *His Grace [[primateChristoforos of Karpasia|primacyChristoforos]] , Bishop of Karpasia. *His Grace [[Porfyrios of the Church Neapolis|Porfyrios]], Bishop of Neapolis.*His Grace Gregorios, Bishop of Mesaoria Holy Bishopric of Paphos/Holy Metropolis of Paphos:Most Reverend [[Georgios of Paphos|Georgios]], Metropolitan of Cyprus was until recently vacantPaphos, seat Paphos.:Bishop: *His Grace Nektarios, with the announcement Bishop of Arsinoi. Holy Bishopric of the retirement Kitiun/Holy Metropolis of Archbishop Kitium:Most Reverend [[Chrysostomos I (Kykkiotis) of Nea JustinianaKition|Chrysostomos]] due , Metropolitan of Kition, seat Larnaca. Holy Bishopric of Keryneia/Holy Metropolis of Kyreneia:Most Reverend Pavlos, Metropolitan of Kyreneia, seat Kyreneia.::Due to Alzheimer's diseasethe Turkish occupation of Keryneia, the Holy Bishopric of Keryneia, since 1974, is temporarily located in Lefkosia. Holy Bishopric of Lemesos/Holy Metropolis of Lemessou:Most Reverend [[Athanasios of Limassol|Athanasios]], Metropolitan of Limassol, seat Limassol. However:Bishop:*His Grace Nikolaos, the Church Bishop of Amathus. Holy Bishopric of Morphou/Metropolis of [[Metropolis of Morphou (Cyprus)|Morphou]]:Most Reverend [[Neophytos of Morfou|Neophytos]], on SundayMetropolitan of Morphou, seat Morphou.::Due to the Turkish occupation of Morfou, the Holy Bishopric of Morfou is temporarily located at Evrychou village. Holy Bishopric of Konstantia/Holy Metropolis of Konstantias:Most Reverend [[November 6Vasilios of Ammochostos|Vasilios]], 2006Metropolitan of Konstantia-Ammochostos, elected her first new leader seat Ammochostos.::Due to the Turkish occupation of Ammochostos (Famagusta) the Holy Bishopric of Kostantia is temporarily located in 29 yearsParalimni. Holy Bishopric of Kykkos and Tylliria/Holy Metropolis of Kykkos and Tillyrias:Most Reverend [[Nikiforos of Kykkos|Nikiforos]], Metropolitanof Kykkos and Tylliria, seat Kykkos Monastery.:Holy Monastery of Kykkos, Troodos. Holy Bishopric of Tamasos and Orinis/Holy Metropolis of Tamasos:Most Reverend [[Isaias of Tamassos and Orinis|Isaias]] Chrysostomos , Metropolitan of PaphosTamasos and Orinis, 65seat Deftera. Holy Bishopric of Tremithus/Holy Metropolis of Tremithus:Most Reverend [[Barnabas of Trimithounta|Varnavas]], was elected archbishop after winning a runoff vote against Metropolitan Athanasios of LimassolTremithus, seat Idalion.{{ref|1}}
Holy Monastery of Machairas
:Abbot: Right Reverend [[Epiphanios (Mahairiotis) of Ledra|Epiphanios]], Bishop of Ledra.
Holy Monastery of Agios Neophytos
:Abbot: Right Reverend Leondios, Bishop of Chytroi.
Holy Monastery of Apostle Barnabas
:Abbot: Very Reverend Archimandrite Gabriel.
===Hierarchical Succession of the Archbishopric See of Cyprus===
See [[List of Archbishops of Cyprus]].
==Local saints==
The official website for the Church of Cyprus<ref>[http://www.churchofcyprus.org.cy/agioi.shtml Summary of Cyprian Saints according to the Church of Cyprus website] (Greek)</ref> lists approximately sixty local saints.
The most famous of these is [[Apostle]] [[Apostle Barnabas|Barnabas]] ([[June 11]]) and [[Lazarus]].
{{churches}}
==Published Works==
* Annemarie Weyl Carr. ''Byzantines and Italians on Cyprus: Images from Art.'' '''Dumbarton Oaks Papers'''. Vol.49, Symposium on Byzantium and the Italians, 13th-15thCenturies. 1995. pp.339-357.
==Reference==
<references /> ==Source==*{{note|1}} [http://www.financialmirrormfa.gov.comcy/mfa/more_newsmfa2006.phpnsf/0e0d6c08a552d95ac22571450035a635/649241232fa0e831c22571a3002f8eea?id=5214&type=st&nt=Politics OpenDocument Paphos bishop elected head Church Structure: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus church] November 5, 2006
==External links==
*[http://www.churchofcyprus.org.cy/ Orthodox Church of Cyprus], official site
*[http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-orthodox-cyprusdefault.htm aspx?ID=22&pagetypeID=9&sitecode=HQ&pageno=1 Eastern Christian Churches: Orthodox Church of Cyprus], a scholarly text by Ronald Roberson, CSP, a Roman Catholic priest and Eastern Christianity scholar*[http://www.cyprus.gov.cy/cyphome/govhome.nsf/LookupIDs/56EFF47249680FF2C2256AA2004554CC?OpenDocument&languageNo=1 Cypriot Government site]
*[[Wikipedia:Cypriot Orthodox Church]]
*[http://www.scribd.com/doc/2036026/Bertil-Persson Apostolic Successions]
[[Category:Jurisdictions|Cyprus]]
[[es:Iglesia Ortodoxa de Chipre]]
[[fr:Église de Chypre]]
[[ro:Biserica Ortodoxă a Ciprului]]
