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
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