# Armenian Prelature of Cyprus

Armenian Prelature of Cyprus (Armenian: Առաջնորդարան Հայոց Կիպրոսի) is one of the oldest Dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church outside the historic Armenian territories, and the oldest one under the jurisdiction of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia covering the Republic of Cyprus. It was established in 973 AD and currently has around 4,000 followers, comprising around 95% of the Armenians in Cyprus.
The seat of the Prelature is the Holy Mother of God Cathedral of Nicosia. The Prelature building is situated next to the cathedral, on 47 Armenia Avenue, Strovolos, Nicosia. Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian is currently the Catholicosal Vicar, appointed on 19 July 2024. Archbishop Gomidas arrived in Cyprus on 1st August 2024.
The Prelature has a Facebook page (established in 2014), and also publishes an annual newsletter, titled «Լրատու» (Newsletter, since 2017).

## History

The Armenian Prelature of Cyprus 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 X, 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. During the Ottoman Era and the early British Era, 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 (1759-1775, 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 exiled Patriarchs of Constantinople, Archbishop Tavit Areveltsi (1644-1648) and Senior Archimandrite Krikor Basmadjian (1773-1775).
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, in Kyriakos Matsis street in Ayios Dhometios (1968-1984).

## Current situation

The current Catholicosal Vicar General is, as of 19 July 2024, Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian. He arrived in Cyprus on 1st August 2024. The parish priest in Nicosia is Fr. Momik Habeshian (since 6 January 2000), the parish priest in Larnaca is Fr. Mashdots Ashkarian (since 9 January 1992) and the spiritual shepherd in Limassol is Senior Archimandrite Hovhannes Saghdejian (since 17 October 2024); Fr. Momik Habeshian was ordained at the Virgin Mary cathedral on 19 December 1999 by Bishop Varoujan Hergelian. The clergymen’s work is aided by the following ordained deacons and stole-bearers (alphabetically): Levon Arakelian, Dr. Antranik A. Ashdjian, Haig Aynedjian, Hagop Bohdjelian, Megerdich Gostanian, Stepan Haroutiunian, Souren Hidirian, Hovig Hovhannessian, Dr. Vahakn Kazandjian, Shant Sarkissian, Nareg Tevitian, Sebouh Tavitian, Vatche Toundjikian, Dr Haig Utidjian and Onnig Yenovkian, as well as by some ordained acolytes and non-ordained individuals who serve the church.
Thanks to the efforts of Bishop Zareh Aznavorian and with financial aid from the Evangelical Church of Westphalia, the new Prelature building was erected between 1983-1984, next to the Virgin Mary cathedral and the Nareg school in Nicosia, by architects Charilaos Dikaios & Athos Dikaios; it was officially inaugurated on 4 March 1984, during the pastoral visit of Catholicos Karekin II. It was recently renovated between 2017-2018, partly thanks to the contribution of the government of Cyprus.
By initiative of Bishop Varoujan Hergelian, the basement of the building was renovated in 1998 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 Virgin Mary cathedral in occupied Nicosia or the Sourp Magar monastery in Halevga.
The current Charter of the Prelature consists of 79 Articles and it applies as of 3 September 2010. Administration is exercised by the Armenian Ethnarchy (Ազգային Իշխանութիւն) through the Diocesan Council (Թեմական Ժողով, since 2014 officially called Երեսփոխանական Ժողով), presided by the Catholicosal Vicar and consisting of two (2) priests and twelve (12) elected lay persons - seven (7) for Nicosia, three (3) for Larnaca, one (1) for Limassol and one (1) for Famagusta] and the Administrative Council (Վարչական Ժողով, since 2014 officially called Ազգային Վարչութիւն), presided by the Catholicosal Vicar and consisting of seven (7) lay persons appointed by the Diocesan Council. The Diocesan Council's Chairman is Vahan Aynedjian (since 22 March 2022) and Hagop Kazandjian is the Administrative Council's Chairman (as of 6 March 2024). As of 1998, the elected Representative is ex officio a member of the Diocesan Council.
According to the Charter, the Prelature also has a Religious Council (Կրօնական Ժողով) - consisting of the four (4) clergymen -, the local Church Committees (Եկեղեցւոյ Հոգաբարձութիւններ - one in Sourp Asdvadzadzin in Nicosia, one in Sourp Stepanos in Larnaca and one in Sourp Kevork in Limassol) - and the local Women's Guilds (Եկեղեցւոյ Տիկնանց Մարմիններ), as well as the Board of Christian Education (Քրիստոնէական Դաստիարակութեան Խորհուրդ). Finally, there is the four-part "Sourp Asdvadzadzin" church choir (Սուրբ Աստուածածին Մայր Եկեղեցւոյ Երգչախումբ), established in 1921 by Vahan Bedelian.
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 and health care (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.

## Places of worship

Belonging to the Prelature are the following churches and chapels:
* Holy Mother of God (Sourp Asdvadzadzin) cathedral in Nicosia (1976-1981),
* Saint Stephen (Sourp Stepanos) church in Larnaca (1909-1913)
* Saint George (Sourp Kevork) church in Limassol (1939-1940)
* Three parish chapels in the vicinity of Nicosia:
** i) Saint Paul (Sourp Boghos) (ancient cemetery in the Ledra Palace area, 1892)
** ii) Holy Resurrection (Sourp Haroutiun) (old cemetery in Ayios Dhometios, 1938)
** iii) Holy Saviour of All (Sourp Amenapergitch) (Kalaydjian Rest Home for the Elderly in Acropolis, 1995-1997).
In the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus, there are the following places of worship:
* Old Virgin Mary (Sourp Asdvadzadzin or Notre Dame de Tyre/Tortosa) cathedral on Victoria street, old Nicosia (1308-1310),
* Saint Makarios (Sourp Magar or Magaravank) monastery in Halevga (c. 1000/1425),
* Virgin Mary of Ganchvor church in Famagusta (1346).
For Liturgies to be held in Christian places of worship in occupied Cyprus, a special permission needs to be obtained.

## Cemeteries

In Nicosia, there are three Armenian cemeteries:
* i) the ancient cemetery (established c. 1810 and used until 1931, in the vicinity of the Ledra Palace Hotel;
* ii) the old cemetery (established in 1931) in Ayios Dhometios;
* iii) the new cemetery (established in 1998) in the Anthoupolis-Kato Dheftera area.
In the ancient cemetery, there is a commemorative aluminium plate, on top of a cenotaph (2010), containing the names of 419 people for which there are records they were buried there between 1877 and 1931; this plate is probably the only one of its kind in a cemetery in Cyprus.
There are two fountains in the second (old) cemetery, one made of mortar (1952) and a granite one (2015). In the new cemetery, there is a grey tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone, 2012), placed there in 2013 in memory of all deceased of the Armenian nation; there is also a granite fountain (2000), with a shelter constructed over it (2010).
There is one Armenian cemetery in Larnaca (established in 1923) and one in Limassol (established in 1960). In the Larnaca cemetery, there is a reddish reddish brown tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone, 2011), placed there in 2012 in memory of all deceased of the Armenian nation in Larnaca; there is also a marble fountain (2007). In the Limassol cemetery, there is a granite fountain (2001), with a shelter constructed over it (2006).
Turkish-occupied Famagusta's Armenian cemetery (established 1967), in the Ayios Memnon area, has been inaccessible since the 1974 Turkish invasion.

## Monuments

Other than the monuments mentioned in the previous section, in the courtyard of the Holy Mother of God (Sourp Asdvadzadzin) cathedral in Nicosia, there are the following monuments:
* i) the white marble Armenian Genocide monument (1990-1991), with two marble ossuaries in front of it (2000);
* ii) a white marble khachkar, a symbol of friendship of Armenians and Greeks of Cyprus (2001);
* iii) the bronze bust of Archbishop Zareh Aznavorian (2004), placed there in 2005.
In the courtyard of the Saint Stephen (Sourp Stepanos) church in Larnaca, there is a reddish brown tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone, 2011) dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Adana massacre and the myriads of Armenian martyrs.
In the courtyard of the Saint George (Sourp Kevork) church in Limassol, there is a dark brown tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone, 2008). To the east of the church there is the functions’ hall (2020-2022), which replaced a previous hall (1959).
In the courtyard of the Virgin Mary (Sourp Asdvadzadzin or Notre Dame de Tyre/Tortosa) cathedral in Turkish-occupied Nicosia, there was the old Armenian Genocide monument (1932), considered to be the second oldest of its kind in the world; unfortunately, only its base survives today, as the Turks have removed the obelisk that used to be on top of it...
There are two monuments in the vicinity of the Turkish-occupied Saint Makarios (Sourp Magar or Magaravank) monastery in Halevga:
* i) a mortar obelisk dedicated to Abbot Mekhitar, his visit there in 1695 and the 200th anniversary of the formation of the Mekhitarist Order (1931, it replaced an older monument from 1901);
* ii) 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.

## List of Prelates, Catholicosal Vicars and locum tenentes

Below is the list of Prelates, Catholicosal Vicars and locum tenentes of the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus, according to available information. Unfortunately, there are some gaps:
| Year | Prelate | Year | Prelate | Year | Prelate | Year | Prelate | Year | Prelate |
| ... 1179 ... | Bishop Tateos | 1715-1735 | Archimandrite Haroutiun | ... 1844 ... | Archimandrite Tateos | 1884 | Fr. Hovhannes Papazian | 1959 | Bishop Hrant Khachadourian |
| ... 1307 ... | Bishop Nigoghaos | 1734-1735 | Archimandrite Haroutiun | 1846-1848 | Archbishop Hovhannes Marashtsi | 1885-1889 | Fr. Hovhannes Shahinian | 1960-1968 | Senior Archimandrite Yervant Apelian |
| ... 1340 ... | Bishop Krikor | ... 1736 ... | Archimandrite Mardiros Sisetsi | 1848 | Bishop Hovhannes Yetessian | 1889-1896 | Archimandrite Khoren Portoukalian | 1968-1973 | Senior Archimandrite Arsen Avedikian |
| 1421-1425 | Bishop Levon | 1744-1745 | Bishop Tavit | 1854 | Bishop Hovhannes Mamigonian | 1896-1897 | Fr. Ghevont Der Nahabedian | 1973-1974 | archpriest Vazken Sandrouni |
| 1446-1467 | Bishop Sarkis | 1751-1753 | Archimandrite Hovsep | 1856 | Bishop Apraham Bulbul | 1897-1899 | Fr. Hovhannes Shahinian | 1974-1977 | Bishop Nerses Pakhdigian |
| 1504-1515 | Bishop Tavit | 1773-1774 | Senior Archimandrite Krikor Basmadjian | 1857-1859 | Archimandrite Boghos Vanetsi | 1899-1905 | Archimandrite Bedros Saradjian | 1977-1983 | Bishop Zareh Aznavorian |
| 1553-1567 | Bishop Ghougas | ...-1779 | Bishop Mardiros | 1859-1861 | Archimandrite Atanas Izmirtsi | 1906-1907 | Archimandrite Yeremia Liforian | 1983-1997 | Senior Archimandrite Yeghishe Mandjikian |
| 1567... | Bishop Hovhannes | 1783-1799 | Bishop Hagop | 1864-1865 | Archimandrite Tateos Yeretsian | 1907-1910 | Fr. Hovhannes Shahinian | 1997-2014 | Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian |
| 1581 | Hieromonk Stepanos | 1799-1812 | Archbishop Hovhannes | 1865-1869 | Archimandrite Ghougas Khanigian | 1910-1912 | Fr. Ghevont Der Nahabedian | 2014-2016 | Archbishop Nareg Alemezian |
| ... 1618 ... | Monk Vartan | 1812-1814 | Archimandrite Bedros | 1870-1872 | Archimandrite Vartan Mamigonian | 1912-1917 | Fr. Sahag Minassian | 2016-2017 | Fr. Mashdots Ashkarian |
| ... 1642 ... | Archimandrite Mesrob | 1814-1816 | Archimandrite Stepanos | 1872-1873 | Archimandrite Movses Geomrukdjian | 1918-1919 | Senior Archimandrite Yervant Perdahdjian | 2017-2024 | Archbishop Khoren Toghramadjian |
| 1644 | Bishop Tavit Areveltsi | 1816-1817 | Archimandrite Teotoros | 1873-1874 | Archimandrite Maghakia Derounian | 1920 | Archbishop Taniel Hagopian | 2024- | Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian |
| ... 1665 ... | Fr. Sahag | 1817-1819 | Bishop Tionesios Garabedian | 1874-1876 | Archimandrite Mesrob Ghaltakhdjian | 1920-1940 | Archbishop Bedros Saradjian | | |
| ... 1668 ... | Bishop Hovhannes | 1821 | Archimandrite Stepanos | 1876-1877 | Archimandrite Garabed Pakradouni | 1936-1940 | Archimandrite Barouyr Minassian | | |
| ... 1670 ... | Bishop Melidon | 1822-1827 | Archimandrite Kapriel | 1878-1880 | archpriest Hovhannes Hunkiarbeyendian | 1940-1946 | archpriest Khoren Kouligian | | |
| 1675-1695 | Archimandrite Sarkis Cholakh | 1827-1833 | Archimandrite Haroutiun Izmirtsi | 1880-1881 | Archimandrite Zakaria Yeghissian | 1946-1956 | Archbishop Ghevont Chebeyan | | |
| 1704-1705 | Archimandrite Minas Amtetsi | 1837-1843 | Bishop Hovhannes | 1881-1883 | Archimandrite Movses Geomrukdjian | 1956-1960 | archpriest Khoren Kouligian | | |

## Gallery

* Sourp Asdvadzadzin cathedral in Acropolis, Nicosia (northern view)
* Sourp Stepanos church in Larnaca
* Sourp Kevork church in Limassol
* Sourp Boghos chapel in Nicosia
* The entrance gate to Nicosia's ancient Armenian cemetery
* Sourp Haroutiun chapel in Ayios Dhometios, Nicosia
* View of Nicosia's second Armenian cemetery
* Holy Saviour of All chapel in Acropolis, Nicosia
* Shelter at Nicosia's new Armenian cemetery
* View of Nicosia's new Armenian cemetery
* View of Larnaca's Armenian cemetery
* View of Limassol's Armenian cemetery
* The "Vahram Utidjian" Hall of the Prelature, Nicosia
* Old Sourp Asdvadzadzin cathedral in occupied Nicosia
* Entrance to the old Sourp Asdvadzadzin cathedral in occupied Nicosia
* Ganchvor church in Famagusta
* Ganchvor church in Famagusta, next to the Carmelite church
* Panoramic view of Saint Makarios monastery in Halevga (1967)
* Saint Makarios monastery in Halevga (early 1970s)
* Saint Makarios monastery in Halevga (current view)