Armenian Church In North Cyprus Turned Into Cafe

[Stormig]

ARMENIAN CHURCH IN NORTH CYPRUS TURNED INTO CAFETERIA

 

10.05.2005 05:39

 

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Lately the St. Margar Armenian church in the mountainous region of Kyrenia of Northern Cyprus was turned into a cafeteria, reported the Press Service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry. As the Yeniduzen Turkish newspaper reported on April 17, the cafeteria owner intends to turn it into a hotel. All icons and church books were sacked and sold. St. Margar Church was founded in 4th century and was one of sacred places for Armenians.

[Anoushik]

St. Margar Church was founded in 4th century...

style_images/master/snapback.png

[Stormig]

By the way, is it Magar or Margar?

 

http://hyeforum.com/index.php?amp;showtopi...indpost&p=74706

[kars]

By the way, is it Magar or Margar?

 

http://hyeforum.com/index.php?amp;showtopi...indpost&p=74706

style_images/master/snapback.png

 

It’s Surb Makar (Surp Magar, in Western Arm. pronunciation), also known as Kapuyt Vank. It was built in 560, not in 4th century, as stated above.

[Dave]

Some info about Magaravank, from http://www.hayem.org/history/?town=St.Magar

 

MAGARAVANK AN ARMENIAN MONASTERY

 

http://www.hayem.org/history/images/arm_magaravank.jpg

 

The monastery of Sourp Magar is situated at a height of 510 meters above sea level, on the northern slopes of the Kyrenia mountain range. Sourp Magar means "Saint Makarios the Blessed". It could refer either to a 4th century AD Coptic hermit who lived in Alexandria, Egypt, or to another 4th century AD Coptic hermit who was a pupil of St. Anthony of the Desert. The feast days of both these saints are observed by the Armenian Church..

 

Thus, it is quite probable that this monastery, which is thought to have Coptic origins, came into the hands of Armenians at a later stage. The date and circumstances of this transfer are unclear.

 

Close relations between so-called "oriental" Apostolic Churches ­ e.g. the Coptic, Armenian, Syrian and Ethiopian churches, began soon after the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD.

 

Tradition states that Christianity was brought to Armenia by Bartholomew the Apostle, and Thaddeus, one of the Seventy. But it was St. Gregory the Illuminator who brought about the Royal Edict of 301 AD which proclaimed Christianity as the established official religion of Armenia, the first country in the world to do so.

 

http://www.hayem.org/history/images/arm_magaravank_manuscript1.jpg

 

Sourp Magar has been a religious centre for Armenians for centuries. Although under the jurisdiction of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, residing at present in Lebanon, it has had close ties with St. James' Monastery in Jerusalem and with the Catholicosate of Ejmiatsin in Armenia. The quiet surroundings have for centuries provided a haven for clergymen and laymen alike.

 

The upheavals in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century resulted in the arrival of thousands of Armenian refugees on the island. The monastery opened its doors to orphans and to those in need. It also developed farming to help feed the hungry.

 

Right until the Turkish invasion of 1974, the monastery was a favourite place for Armenian families and schools to visit, as its grounds were particularly pleasant, especially in the hot summer months. The feast day is 1st May. Since the 1974 invasion, the monastery has been inaccessible to Armenians or Greek Cypriots and is now derelict.

 

Source based on "Romantic Cyprus" By Kevork K Keshisian