THE
ARMENIANS
OF CYPRUS
17
Important Personalities
Throughout their history in Cyprus, Armenians have made an important contribution to its growth and
development, initially as soldiers and frontiersmen, later on as merchants and land owners and finally as
craftsmen and entrepreneurs, as well as people of the arts, letters and sciences. There have been many
Armenian-Cypriots with significant contribution in many fields both at home and abroad.
From the old Armenian-Cypriots, who were resident in Cyprus long before the Armenian Genocide, it is worth
mentioning, among others, the landowners Boghos Eramian (1840-1918), Apkar Guvezian (1857-1922) and Artin
Bey Melikian (1858-1921), entrepreneurs Dickran Ouzounian (1870-1957) and Movses Soultanian (1884-1977),
as well as Vahram Levonian (1896-1976), Director of the Department of Water Development, Aram Kevorkian
(1888-1976), Postmaster-General of Cyprus, and Apisoghom Utidjian (1853-1929), Chief Translator and
Interpreter for the British administration.
From the numerous Genocide refugees, certain individuals have left their mark in the history of the island,
such as: renowned musician and conductor Vahan Bedelian (1894-1990), famous artist Sebouh Abcarian (1930-
2014), veteran journalist Georges der Parthogh (1923-2008), prolific publisher Manuel Kassouni (1887-1974),
researcher and author of the book “Romantic Cyprus” Kevork K. Keshishian (1909-1996), photographers
Haigaz Mangoian (1907-1970) and Edward Voskeritchian (1902-1990), the founder of Lombard Banking in
Cyprus, Hagop Keheyan (1922-2013), Chief Scout Hagop Palamoudian (1910-1996), well-known cardiologist and
Nicosia General Hospital’s Director Dr. Vatche Kalbian (1923-1992) and the Director of St. John’s Ambulance
Brigade Sona Yeghiayian (1915-2007). Others excelled abroad, such as: famous violinist Manoug Parikian (1920-
1987), journalist Shahe Guebenlian (1920-2007), Armenian Archbishop of Greece Sahag Ayvazian (1929-2003) and
the Catholicos of Cilicia Khoren Paroyian (1914-1983).
From the younger generation, the descendants of the Genocide survivors, there are many distinguished
personalities, both in Cyprus and abroad. One of them is prominent politician Marios Garoyian (1961- ),
who during the period 2008-2011 served as President of the Cyprus House of Representatives and was
between 2006 and 2013 the President of the Democratic Party (DIKO).
l
Prominent members of the
Armenian-Cypriot community in
front of the Virgin Mary cathedral
in old Nicosia (1914).
