Latins of Cyprus_EN

THE LATINS OF CYPRUS 7 Dear reader, On behalf of the Latins of Cyprus, I wish to express my sincere thanks to the Press and Information Office for its initiative to issue this publication pertaining to the Latin religious group. The presence of Latins (Roman Catholics of European or Levantine descent) in the area of Cyprus dates back to 1126, before the glorious periods of the Frankish and the Venetian Eras. However, today’s Latin community essentially comprises of the descendants of Roman Catholics who settled on the island during the Ottoman and the British Era. Since 1960, the Latin community is constitutionally recognised as a religious group and has an elected Representative in the House of Representatives. The Latin religious group is fully integrated into the Cypriot society and the common link amongst its members is their Roman Catholic creed. Dear reader, thank you for your interest in the history of the Latin religious group in Cyprus, its historical journey and its contribution to Cypriot society. A Message by the Representative of the Latin Religious Group in the House of Representatives, Mrs Antonella Mantovani