The Maronites of Cyprus

THE MARONITES OF CYPRUS 7 Dear reader, The publication you hold in your hands presents, in brief, the Maronite community of Cyprus: its history, its cultural identity, its presence and its contribution to Cypriot society. The history of the Maronites is a story of persecution and of the struggle of the Maronites to preserve their faith, their freedom and their very existence. Cyprus was their refuge in the late 7th century when, because of Arab raids in Syria, they immigrated to the island. Today the Maronites of Cyprus are refugees again, as a result of the 1974 invasion of Cyprus by Turkey. All of the island’s Maronite villages (Asomatos, Ayia Marina, Karpasha and Kormakitis) are still under Turkish military occupation. The most serious problem the Maronite community of Cyprus faces is its survival as an entity and the preservation of its identity. The community underwent a radical change as a result of the 1974 invasion of Cyprus by Turkey and the forcible dislocation and detachment of the Maronites from their villages and, consequently, their churches and schools. Since 1974, the Maronites of Cyprus have been struggling for their survival. With the support of the government of Cyprus, however, and an intensive effort on the part of the Maronites themselves, the Maronites today constitute an organised community, active in the cultural, social and financial sectors of our homeland. Nevertheless, the Maronites’ desire remains to return to their villages and to coexist harmoniously with all of the island’s diverse communities in a reunited homeland. I hope this informative publication will contribute to the effort to inform and to better understand the Maronites. It is published in the hope that it will promote multiculturalism and cultivate respect for diversity; that it will contribute to the peaceful coexistence of all of the island’s communities and continued cooperation between them. On behalf of the Maronite community, I wish to express warm thanks to the Press and Information Office for taking the initiative to issue this publication and to the government of Cyprus for its longstanding support of our community. A Message from the Representative of the Maronite Religious Group in the House of Representatives, Mr Antonis Haji Roussos