CHROnOLOGy 578 AD The first documented presence of Armenians in Cyprus. 610-641 Some Armenians arrive during the reign of Armenian-descended Emperor Heraclius for political reasons. 717-728 Some Armenians arrive during the pontificate of Catholicos Hovhannes Odznetsi for commercial reasons. 965 More Armenians arrive after the liberation of Cyprus from the Arab raids by patrician Niketas Chalkoutzes for military reasons. 973 Catholicos Khatchig I establishes the Armenian Prelature in Nicosia. 1136-1138 Emperor John II Comnenus moves the entire population of the Armenian city of Tell Hamdun to Cyprus. 1267 Several Armenians flee to Cyprus after the fall of Jerusalem. 1291 Many Armenians arrive in Cyprus after the fall of Acre. 1322 30.000 Armenians escape to Cyprus after the Saracen attacks on Cilicia. 1335 and 1346 A newwave of Armenian refugees arrives in Cyprus after the Mameluke attacks on Cilicia. 1403 and 1421 Thousands of Armenians arrive in Cyprus after the Ottoman conquest of Cilicia. 1441 Some Armenians from Cilicia are encouraged to settle in Famagusta. May 1571 The Notre Dame de Tyre or Tortosa church is officially granted to the Armenians by a firman. July 1821 Amongst the 470 executions by the Ottomans is the Armenian priest of Nicosia, der Bedros. 1860 The belfry of theVirginMary church inNicosia is constructed, by donation of HapetigNevrouzian, one of the first in Ottoman Cyprus. 1894-1896 The Hamidianmassacres take place inOttomanTurkey, resulting in 300.000 deaths. About 1.000 Armenians find refuge in Cyprus, of whom about 100 stay. 1909 The Adanamassacre takes place resulting in 30.000 deaths. About 2.000 Armenians flee to Cyprus; most of them return within the year. 1915-1923 Ottomans and Young Turks perpetrate the Armenian Genocide, causing over 1.500.000 deaths. About 9.000 Armenian refugees arrive in Cyprus, of whom about 1.300 settle permanently. 1916-1918 The Armenian Legion is formed and trained in Monarga, near Boghazi, consisting of over 4.000 Diasporan Armenians, who later heroically fought the Ottoman Empire. 30 June 1918 Archbishop Taniel Hagopian consecrates Saint Stephen’s church in Larnaka. 15 February 1924 High Commissioner Sir Malcolm Stevenson lays the foundation stone for the Melkonian Educational Institute. 13 February 1926 Archbishop Zaven der Yeghiayian inaugurates the Melkonian Educational Institute. 2 August 1931 Catholicos Sahag II unveils the mortar obelisk on top of Mekhitar’s Hill at the Magaravank. 24 April 1932 Archbishop Bedros Saradjian unveils the mortar Genocide monument in old Nicosia. 8 September 1933 Catholicos Sahag II unveils the stone column at the square of the Magaravank. 14 January 1945 Archimandrite Krikor Bahlavouni celebrates the first Liturgy in about four centuries at theVirginMary of Ganchvor church in Famagusta. 28 July 1946 Pastor Yohanna der Megerditchian lays the foundation stone for the Armenian Evangelical church in Nicosia. 1 July 1947 Pastor Yohanna der Megerditchian inaugurates the Armenian Evangelical church in Nicosia. 11 April 1948 Bishop Ghevont Chebeyan consecrates Saint George’s church in Limassol. 24 April 1954 Bishop Ghevont Chebeyan lays the foundation stone for the marble Mausoleum of the Melkonian Brothers. THE ARMENIANS OF CYPRUS 30