The Maronites of Cyprus

THE MARONITES OF CYPRUS 14 percent of the island’s Maronites refugees, while about 5 percent remained enclaved in Asomatos, Karpasha and Kormakitis. Seven Maronites were killed during the war and one is still missing. The Turkish Air Force bombed the renowned Prophet Elias Monastery and the village of Ayia Marina and seized the following churches: Sacred Heart of Jesus in Famagusta, Saint Anthony in Kythrea, Saint Romanos in Vouno, the Virgin Mary in Kambyli and the Virgin Mary of Marki. The village of Ayia Marina Skyllouras was taken over by the Turkish military authorities and was turned into a military zone – it remains inaccessible to this day. Access to the village of Asomatos, in the Kyrenia district, is also restricted, and its inhabitants are allowed into the village only on Sundays to celebrate Mass at the church of Archangel Michael. Tied to their land and unsure of the future of their community away from their villages and churches, a number of Maronites chose to remain in the occupied area, despite the harshness of life under occupation. In 1975 there were 979 enclaved Maronites. Over time and in the face of myriad difficulties, including the lack of educational institutions, many Maronites, particularly the younger ones, settled in the government controlled areas of Cyprus. In 1985 the number of enclaved Maronites shrank to 332, then to 234 in 1995; today in the village of Kormakitis there are about 120 enclaved elderly people, 15 in Karpasha and only one in Asomatos, Mrs Emilia Partella, an octogenarian and a heroic figure for the inhabitants of Asomatos. An assertive people who love their land, the Maronites have never stopped struggling for the return to their villages, which they visit at regular intervals, especially during major religious feasts. ● View of Turkish- occupied Asomatos.