Journey to Cyprus

Everything happens for a reason. I have been blessed with the opportunity to have had a long connection with the island of Cyprus. It has taken me quite sometime to understand…

Cyprus is the easternmost isle in the Mediterranean. It is situated at the crossroads of civilizations and has long been a place influenced both by the East and the West. Artifacts at the Cyprus Archaeological museum represent objects from the earliest villages to masterpieces of medieval religious arts. They provided me with an overview of the unique culture of this Land. The earliest known human activity on the island occurred when seafaring people from the Near East landed their boats there around 10,000 BC. Cities were first organized and built during the Ancient Near East Bronze Age. The island was part of the Hittite Empire during the late Bronze Age (Ref: “Cultural Pilgrimage”) and the well-preserved Neolithic village of Khirokitia contain archaeological remains from this period. The island is home to some of the oldest water wells in the world.

Archeological finds on the island of Cyprus

Human remains and artifacts found in Cyprus.

Bronze figurine of a “Horned God” from Enkomi, Cyprus . Enkomi is a village near Famagusta in Cyprus. It is the site of an important Bronze Age city, possibly the capital of Alasiya.

The Cyprus Museum (also known as the Cyprus Archaeological Museum) is the oldest and largest archaeological museum in Cyprus.

The Mycenaean arrived Cyprus during the last phase of the Bronze Age in Ancient Greece and since then the island has experienced an uninterrupted Greek presence. The Greek population of this Land survived through multiple foreign occupations, including Egyptian and Persian rules. Cyprus was conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC, and then ruled by the Ptolemaic Egypt until 58 BC, when it was incorporated into the Roman Empire. After Julius Caesar’s assassination (March 15, 44 BC) Marc Antony and Octavian (later Augustus) struggled for power and control and in 40 BC Marc Antony gave Cyprus to Cleopatra (Queen of Egypt).

Mosaic at The House of Dionysus Paphos

Mosaics at The House of Theseus

The mosaics of the House of Theseus lie close to the House of Dionysus ( dating back to the second century A.D. ) where I observed the mythological representations and very interesting geometrical decorations.

From around 649 to 966 the island was under Islamic Caliphate and returned to Roman rule until the 12th century. In 1191 during the Third Crusade Richard I of England captured the island from Isaac Komnenos of Cyprus. He used it as a major supply base that was relatively safe from the Saracens. A year later Richard sold the island to the Knights Templar who, following a revolt, in turn sold it to Guy of Lusignan the King of Jerusalem 1186-1192. Guy of Lusignan, died in Nicosia in 1194.  The descendants of the Lusignans continued to rule the Kingdom of Cyprus until 1474. In February 1489 it was seized by the Republic of Venice. Between September 1570 and August 1571 it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, starting three centuries of Turkish rule over Cyprus.

Selimiye Mosque located in North Nicosia and historically known as Cathedral of Saint Sophia (a former Roman Catholic cathedral converted into a mosque). It is housed in the largest and oldest surviving Gothic church in Cyprus (interior dimensions: 66 X 21 m possibly built on the site of an earlier Byzantine church). It was sieged by the Ottoman in 1570, and following its conversion, the mosque became the property of the Sultan Selim Foundation.

Inside an Orthodox Church in Southern Nicosia

Inside a Selimiye Mosque in Northern Nicosia

In our time the island of Cyprus has been and is divided since the Turkish military invasion in the year 1974 (barely a year after the first of my many visits to this country). The northern one-third part is de facto under the administration of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus even though according to international law the Cyprus Republic has de Jure sovereignty over the whole island of Cyprus, as well as its territorial sea and exclusive economic area.

Ledra Street Crossing Point at the time of my visit in 2014. After the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU it has become much easier to cross the border between the North and the South. The locals cross the Cyprus border daily do business or just to visit or shop at either half of Nicosia.

I am informed that among the many suggestions put forward to resolve the conflict, critical peace scholars suggested that a solution to the Cyprus conflict can only be found by including society on a broad base. It has been observed that political elites started to abuse the conflict as a source of power. Compounding the problem is ethnic origin. The Greek Cypriots see themselves as descendants of Plato and Aristotle whereas the Turkish Cypriots see themselves as descendants of the Ottoman rulers. Both communities also have different religious backgrounds and beliefs. At the time of this article the talks to secure Cyprus reunification enter “final stages”. The Guardian reported: “A historic effort to end the division of Cyprus has begun in earnest as Greek and Turkish community leaders resumed reunification talks before a high stakes multilateral conference, the first since the island’s partition 43 years ago. After 18 months of intensive negotiations to settle inter-ethnic divisions, Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akıncı will attempt to finesse the details of a peace deal in Geneva this week by poring over maps and discussing territorial trade-offs before tackling the potentially explosive issue of security”.

It is not the intention of this article to suggest political solution to the Cyprus conflict. As for myself, I believe that peaceful solution can only be achieved if there is “willingness” on both sides (ref: The Holy City: Understanding the Past). I believe all human conflicts are the result of our fallen nature and the “fruit” of the original sin of “pride”- false ego (ref: The Road to Ancient Corinth).

We can be assured that every event has a reason behind it. God is sovereign. There are not random chances. There are no out of control happenings. God’s purpose may be hidden and we cannot understand until we are guided by the paraclete. We are given the Freewill to choose, to have “willingness” to accept guidance by the paraclete. The story for now is that three years ago I packed my bag and on this day, at this hour, I flew by British Airways via London to Larnaca Cyprus.  This was supposed to be a trip to the island of Aphrodite to meet up with my daughter whom I have not seen for a number of years but the trip also turned out (for me) to be a journey of discovery. It was a journey into the Acts of the Apostles; to follow the footsteps of Apostle Paul to the island of Cyprus.

Some artifacts from the copper and bronze age discovered in Cyprus.

The statue of Aphrodite of Soli (the symbol of Cyprus) in the museum in Nicosia. Soli or Soloi (Greek: Σόλοι) is an ancient Greek city in the island of Cyprus, located southwest of Morphou . Soli dates back to about the 6th century BC.

In the 1st century Cyprus was most noted for its copper and devotion to the goddess Aphrodite. I am given to understand, that though she is the Greek goddess of love (beauty, pleasure, and procreation) orgiastic ritual and ritual prostitution in her shrines and temples were also part and parcel of her cult. Perhaps the cult attracted Paul’s attention. Paul (who was Saul of Tarsus) made his First Missionary Journey to Cyprus in the year around 45 AD. He landed at Salamis (a town on the eastern part of Cyprus near Famagusta) which I was blessed with the opportunity to visit before the Turkish Invasion in 1974. According to one legend Aphrodite was born from the foam of the sea. She floated in a shell on the waves, and landed on Cyprus near Paphos. Every year people came from all over Mediterranean and the world to visit her temple on the site in the area of “Palaepaphos” .

Visitors viewing the Aphrodite’s Rock . It is located off the shore along the main road from Paphos to Limassol. The location, as the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, makes it a popular tourist location.

Conversion of Sergius Paulus

After ministering at Salamis Paul journeyed from the eastern side of the island all the way to the town of Paphos on the west. According to tradition the conversions of the population to Christianity outraged the high priest resulting in Paul being ordered to be tied to a pillar and given 39 lashes. Perhaps these were the first of the five mentioned in Paul’s letters to the Corinthians: “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. “- Corinthians 2 11:24.

Ayia Kyriaki Chrysopolitissa Church was built around 1500 AD on the site of a small church which was destroyed in 59 AD by an earthquake.

Following the footsteps of St. Paul in Cyprus.

St. Paul’s Pillar in Paphos ( The Ayia Kyriaki Chrysopolitissa Church seen in a distance).

Paphos, at the time of Paul, was the seat of the Roman government in Cyprus. It was here that the Roman proconsul and Governor Sergius Paulus became a convert to Christianity. Sergius Paulus, upon hearing of the arrival of Paul and Barnabas (who was a native of Cyprus- Acts 4:36),  sent for them. Accompanying the governor was a Jew named Elyma (also known as Bar-Jesus), a false prophet and magician who sought “to turn the proconsul away from the faith.” Paul looked at him and spoke these words: ” O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.”-Acts 13:10-12.

Apparently after having served three years as proconsul and governor in Cyprus, Sergius Paulus returned to Rome, where he was appointed to the office of Curator of the banks and channel of Tiber. Historical record on Sergius Paulus was recently discovered in Rome. “A boundary stone of Claudius mentioning Sergius was discovered in the city of Rome in 1887. It records the appointment (AD 47) of the Curators of the banks and the channel of the river Tiber, one of whom was Sergius. Since Paul’s journey to Cyprus is usually dated to the first half of the 40s AD (and some scholars date his visit even earlier), it is thought Sergius may have first served three years as Proconsul at Cyprus, then returned to Rome, where he was appointed Curator. As he is not greeted in Paul’s Epitstle to the Romans, it is possible he had died before it was written” – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergius_Paulus.

Although The Acts of The Apostles contains a mere nine verses about Paul’s preaching in Cyprus which we often overlook (Acts 13: 5-13); this passage shed light on the first stage of Paul’s missionary journey across Cyprus. Reading biblical texts with the help of archaeological evidence (from ancient “excavated” locations) and local traditions I believe these historical events had happened and in believing I am led to further understanding.

The Church of St. Lazarus (Ayios Lazaros).

On this journey of mine I also had the opportunity to visit the Church of Saint Lazarus at Larnaca. The Church of Saint Lazarus (Ayios Lazaros) was built in the 9th century to house the reputed tomb of Lazarus, the man who was raised from the dead by Jesus. Reconstructed in the 17th century, the church is the most impressive sight in the town of Larnaca.

According to Greek Orthodox tradition, after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the saint came to Cyprus and was later consecrated bishop of Kition by Paul and Barnabas. Lazarus’ tomb was located here in Larnaca. Tradition says Lazarus’ tomb was lost during the period of Arab rule (the Arabs made the first attack on the island under the leadership of Muawiyah I beginning in 649). His remains were rediscovered in 890, and briefly enshrined here before they were sent to Constantinople by Emperor Leo VI in 901. Notable icons I saw in the church include one of the Virgin and Child, one of St. George and the Dragon (1717) and a silver filigree icon of Raising of Lazarus (1659)

The Church of St. Lazarus ( Agíou Lazárou) is a late-9th century church in Larnaca. It is an autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church.

The Church of St. Lazarus (Ayios Lazaros) has an open porch which bears traces of Greek, Latin and French inscriptions. From the porch there were steps which enabled me to descend into the evocative interior of the church.

The impressive interior consists of a central nave, two aisles and three domes which were boarded in at the time of my visit. Steps ascend to an elaborate 300-year-old Rococo pulpit.

From the central nave I could see the Iconostasis of the Church of St. Lazarus

A view of the Iconostasis from the left aisle of the church.

Underneath the church is the The Crypt which contains Lazarus’ empty sarcophagus…

Tradition says Lazarus’ tomb was lost during the period of Arab rule ( the Arabs made the first attack on the island under the leadership of Muawiyah I beginning in 649).  The tomb was found in Larnaca in 890 bearing the inscription “Lazarus, four days dead, friend of Christ”. Emperor Leo VI of Byzantium had Lazarus’ remains transferred to Constantinople in 898.

On November 1972 during the renovations of the church some human remains were discovered in a marble sarcophagus under the altar, and were identified as part of the saint’s relics (apparently not all were removed to Constantinople in 898). These human remains has since been encased in a casket. Looking through the round glass opening on the top of  this relatively recent casket I could see some human bones…Perhaps, like many of us at some point in our lives, I would “take the first step even if we don’t see the whole staircase”.

Just a thought: “Is it true that events happen for a reason?”

I believe that there is the natural law of cause and effect which is also known as the law of sowing and reaping: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting”-Galatians 6:7-8 (KJV). Freewill is also given to us to make choices: ” O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea” -Isaiah 48:18 (KJV).