page_title: Armenian religion in Cyprus
section_title: Nicosia
hierarchical_section_title: Armenian religion in Cyprus / Places of worship / Nicosia
caption_attribution_description: English: The Sourp Amenapergitch chapel in Strovolos, Nicosia Ελληνικά: Το παρεκκλήσι του Σουρπ Αμεναπεργκίτς στο Στρόβολο, Λευκωσία Français&#160;: L'église arménienne de Surp Amenapergic (Saint Sauveur) à Stróvolos, district de Nicosie, Chypre. Հայերեն: Սուրբ Ամենափրկիչ մատուռ, հայկական մատուռ Նիքոսիայի Ստրովոլոս համայնքին մէջ
context_page_description: Like most communities of the Armenian Diaspora, the Armenian-Cypriot community is predominantly Armenian Apostolic. 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%, historically the most significant groups have been Armenian Evangelicals, who in the 1940s and 1950s comprised about 10% of the Armenian-Cypriot community, and Armenian-Catholics, who have been on the island since the time of the Crusades.
context_section_description: 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 Athos Dikaios & Alkis Dikaios 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 is 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. Liturgies are held every Sunday. The church celebrates on the nearest Sunday to 21 November, feast day of the Presentation of Mary. The parish priest (as of 2000) is Fr. Momik Habeshian.
  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. On top of the church's entrance there is a marble inscription in Armenian reading:
   
  Կառուցաւ սուրբ եկեղեցիս յանուն Սրբուհւոյ Աստուածածնին ի հայրապետութեան Տ. Տ. Խորենայ Ա. Կաթողիկոսի եւ Աթոռակցի Նորին Տ. Տ. Գարեգին Բ. Կաթողիկոսի եւ յառաջնորդութեան Տ. Զարեհայ Եպիսկոպոսի Ազնաւորեան սրտադիր ջանիւք ամենայն զաւակայ Թեմիս Հայոց Կիպրոսի, եւ առատապարգեւ օժանդակութեամբ Միացեալ Եկեղեցւոյն Վեսթֆալիոյ եւ ձեռնտուութեամբ բարեխնամ կառավարութեամբ Կիպրոսի ի թուին Հայոց ՌՆԼ. Եւ փրկչական 1981 թուին (This holy temple by the name of the Holy Mother of God was constructed during the pontificate of Catholicos Mr Mr Khoren I and His Co-adjutor Catholicos Mr Mr Karekin II and during the prelacy of Bishop Mr Zareh Aznavorian with the whole-hearted efforts of all the children of the Armenian Diocese of Cyprus, and the generously donated support of the Westphalia United Church and the assistance of the attentive government of Cyprus in the year 1430 of the Armenians and the year of our Lord 1981) 
  On the two columns facing the entrance are the following two aluminium commemorative plaques in Armenian:
  Նորոգեցաւ զանգակատունս ի յիշատակ Տ. Վազգէն Ա. Քհնյ. Սանտրունիի 2005 (This belltower was renovated in memory of Archpriest Der Va
caption: Saviour of All chapel in Strovolos
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