Prelature of Cyprus Կիպրոսի Թեմ
Armenian Prelature of Cyprus emblem
Location
Country	Cyprus
Statistics
Population Total	(as of 2020 est.) ~4,000
Information
Denomination	Armenian Apostolic Church
Rite	Armenian Rite
Established	973
Cathedral	Holy Mother of God Cathedral,Nicosia
Current leadership
Patriarch	Aram I
Catholicosal Vicar	Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian

Armenian Prelature of Cyprus (Armenian:Առաջնորդարան Հայոց Կիպրոսի) is one of the oldest Dioceses of theArmenian Apostolic Church outside the historic Armenian territories, and the oldest one under the jurisdiction of theCatholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia. It was established in 973 AD and currently has around 4,000 followers, comprising around 95% of theArmenians in Cyprus.

The seat of the Prelature is theHoly Mother of God cathedral inNicosia. The Prelature building is situated next to the cathedral, on 47 Armenia street,Strovolos, Nicosia.^[1] Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian is currently the Catholicosal Vicar, appointed on 19 July 2024.^[2] Archbishop Gomidas arrived in Cyprus on 1st August 2024.

The Prelature has aFacebook page (created in 2014).

The Armenian Prelature of Cyprus was established in 973 by CatholicosKhatchig I and ever since it has maintained a continuous presence on the island. In the years that followed, some of its Prelates participated in important church synods, such as Tateos (who participated in the Council ofHromkla in 1179), Nigoghaos (who participated in the Synod ofSis in 1307) and Krikor (who participated in a conference of Greek Orthodox Bishops in Cyprus in 1340). The antiquity of the Armenian Church in Cyprus was confirmed by a bull ofPope Leo X, which was issued in 1519 after multiple discords, according to which the Armenian Prelate would be senior to and take precedence over theMaronite,Jacobite andCoptic Prelates.^[3][4][5]

Historically, the Prelature has been under the jurisdiction of theCatholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, while today it is the oldesttheme that falls under its jurisdiction. During theOttoman Era and the earlyBritish Era, for various reasons, it was at times under theArmenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem (1775-1799, 1812-1837, 1848-1861, 1865-1877, 1888-1897, 1898-1908), theArmenian Patriarchate of Constantinople (1759-1775, 1799-1812, 1861-1864, 1877-1888, 1897-1898, 1908-1921), even theCatholicosate of Etchmiadzin (1864-1865).^[6] Cyprus was the place of refuge for two exiled Armenian Patriarchs of Constantinople, Archbishop Tavit Areveltsi (1644-1648) and Senior Archimandrite Krikor Basmadjian (1773-1775).

For centuries, the Prelature building was located within the Armenian compound in Victoria street in walled Nicosia; when that area was taken over by Turkish-Cypriot extremists in 1963-1964, the Prelature was temporarily housed in Aram Ouzounian street (1964-1969) and, later on, in Kyriakos Matsis street inAyios Dhometios (1969-1983).

The current Catholicosal Vicar is, as of 19 July 2024,Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian; he arrived in Cyprus on 1st August 2024. The parish priest inNicosia isarchpriest Momik Habeshian (since 6 January 2000), the parish priest inLarnaca isarchpriest Mashdots Ashkarian (since 9 January 1992) and the spiritual shepherd inLimassol isSenior Archimandrite Hovhannes Saghdejian (since 17 October 2024);Fr. Momik Habeshian was ordained at theVirgin Mary cathedral on 19 December 1999 byBishop Varoujan Hergelian. The clergymen’s work is aided by the following ordained deacons and stole-bearers (alphabetically): Levon Arakelian, Dr. Antranik A. Ashdjian, Haig Aynedjian, Hagop Bohdjelian, Megerdich Gostanian, Stepan Haroutiunian, Souren Hidirian, Hovig Hovhannessian, Dr. Vahakn Kazandjian, Shant Sarkissian, Nareg Tavitian, Sebouh Tavitian, Vatche Toundjikian, Dr Haig Utidjian and Onnig Yenovkian, as well as by some ordained acolytes and non-ordained individuals who serve the church.

Thanks to the efforts of Bishop Zareh Aznavorian and with financial aid from theEvangelical Church of Westphalia, the new Prelature building was erected between 1983-1984, next to theVirgin Mary cathedral and the Nareg school inNicosia, by architects Charilaos Dikaios & Athos Dikaios; it was officially inaugurated on 4 March 1984, during the pastoral visit of CatholicosKarekin II.^[7] It was recently renovated between 2017-2018, partly thanks to the contribution of the government of Cyprus.

By initiative of BishopVaroujan Hergelian, the basement of the building was renovated in 1998 and the “Vahram Utidjian” Hall was formed; previously a store room, it became a reality from making good use of part of the proceeds of the auction in 1994 of the art collection that Vahram Utidjian had donated to the Prelature in 1954. It was inaugurated on 3 February 1999 by CatholicosAram I; numerous charity, communal and cultural events take place there.^[8] The Prelature’s consistory houses a collection of ecclesiastical relics, some of which were previously in the oldVirgin Mary cathedral in occupied Nicosia or theSourp Magar monastery in Halevga.

The current Charter of the Prelature consists of 79 Articles and it applies as of 3 September 2010.^[9] Administration is exercised by theArmenian Ethnarchy (Ազգային Իշխանութիւն) through theDiocesan Council (Թեմական Ժողով, since 2014 officially calledԵրեսփոխանական Ժողով), presided by the Catholicosal Vicar and consisting of two (2) priests and twelve (12) elected lay persons - seven (7) for Nicosia, three (3) for Larnaca, one (1) for Limassol and one (1) for Famagusta] and theAdministrative Council (Վարչական Ժողով, since 2014 officially calledԱզգային Վարչութիւն), presided by the Catholicosal Vicar and consisting of seven (7) lay persons appointed by the Diocesan Council. The Diocesan Council's Chairman isVahan Aynedjian (since 22 March 2022) andHagop Kazandjian is the Administrative Council's Chairman (as of 6 March 2025). As of 1998, the elected Representative isex officio a member of the Diocesan Council.

According to the Charter, the Prelature also has aReligious Council (Կրօնական Ժողով) - consisting of the four (4) clergymen -, the localChurch Committees (Եկեղեցւոյ Հոգաբարձութիւններ - one each for theHoly Mother of God cathedral in Nicosia, theSourp Stepanos church in Larnaca and theSourp Kevork church in Limassol) - and the localWomen's Guilds (Եկեղեցւոյ Տիկնանց Մարմիններ), as well as theBoard of Christian Education (Քրիստոնէական Դաստիարակութեան Խորհուրդ). Finally, there is the four-part"Sourp Asdvadzadzin" church choir (Սուրբ Աստուածածին Մայր Եկեղեցւոյ Երգչախումբ), established in 1921 by Vahan Bedelian.

According to theDecision of the Council of Ministers 66.589/19-12-2007, the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus receives an annual grant of €59,800 by theRepublic of Cyprus; the Republic also pays the salaries of the Prelature's clergy and covers their medical and health care (Decision of the Council of Ministers 48.166/22-07-1998). The same arrangements apply for the Maronite Archbishopric of Cyprus and the Latin Vicariate of Cyprus.

Belonging to the Prelature are the following churches and chapels:

• Holy Mother of God (Sourp Asdvadzadzin) cathedral in Nicosia (1976-1981),^[10]
• Saint Stephen (Sourp Stepanos) church in Larnaca (1909-1913)
• Saint George (Sourp Kevork) church in Limassol (1939-1940)
• Three parish chapels in the vicinity of Nicosia:
  • i)Saint Paul (Sourp Boghos) (ancient cemetery in the Ledra Palace area, 1892)
  • ii)Holy Resurrection (Sourp Haroutiun) (old cemetery in Ayios Dhometios, 1938)
  • iii)Holy Saviour of All (Sourp Amenapergitch) (Kalaydjian Rest Home for the Elderly in Acropolis, 1995-1997).^[11][12]

In the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus, there are the following places of worship:

• OldVirgin Mary (Sourp Asdvadzadzin or Notre Dame de Tyre/Tortosa) cathedral on Victoria street, old Nicosia (1308-1310),^[13][14]
• Saint Makarios (Sourp Magar or Magaravank) monastery in Halevga (c. 1000/1425),^[15][16]
• Virgin Mary of Ganchvor church in Famagusta (1346).^[17][18]

For Liturgies to be held in Christian places of worship in occupied Cyprus, a special permission needs to be obtained.

In Nicosia, there are three Armenian cemeteries:

• i) the ancient cemetery (established c. 1810 and used until 1931, in the vicinity of theLedra Palace Hotel;
• ii) the old cemetery (established in 1931) inAyios Dhometios;
• iii) the new cemetery (established in 1998) in the Anthoupolis-Kato Dheftera area.^[19][20]

In the ancient cemetery, there is a commemorative aluminium plate, on top of a cenotaph (2010), containing the names of 419 people for which there are records they were buried there between 1877 and 1931; this plate is probably the only one of its kind in a cemetery in Cyprus.^[21]

There are two fountains in the second (old) cemetery, one made of mortar (1952) and a granite one (2015). In the new cemetery, there is a grey tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone, 2012), placed there in 2013 in memory of all deceased of the Armenian nation; there is also a granite fountain (2000), with a shelter constructed over it (2010).

There is one Armenian cemetery in Larnaca (established in 1923) and one in Limassol (established in 1960).^[22][23] In the Larnaca cemetery, there is a reddish brown tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone, 2011), placed there in 2012 in memory of all deceased of the Armenian nation in Larnaca; there is also a marble fountain (2007). In the Limassol cemetery, there is a granite fountain (2001), with a shelter constructed over it (2006).

Turkish-occupied Famagusta's Armenian cemetery (established 1967), in the Ayios Memnon area, has been inaccessible since the 1974 Turkish invasion.^[24][25]

Other than the monuments mentioned in the previous section, in the courtyard of theHoly Mother of God (Sourp Asdvadzadzin) cathedral in Nicosia, there are the following monuments:

• i) the white marble Armenian Genocide monument (1990-1991), with two marble ossuaries in front of it (2000);
• ii) a white marble khachkar (cross-stone), a symbol of friendship of Armenians and Greeks of Cyprus (2001);
• iii) the bronze bust of Archbishop Zareh Aznavorian (2004), placed there in 2005.^[26][27]

In the courtyard of theSaint Stephen (Sourp Stepanos) church in Larnaca, there is a reddish brown tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone, 2011) dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Adana massacre and the myriads of Armenian martyrs.^[28]

In the courtyard of theSaint George (Sourp Kevork) church in Limassol, there is a dark brown tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone, 2008).^[29][30] To the east of the church there is the functions’ hall (2020-2022), which replaced a previous hall (1959).

In the courtyard of theVirgin Mary (Sourp Asdvadzadzin or Notre Dame de Tyre/Tortosa) cathedral in Turkish-occupied Nicosia, there was the old Armenian Genocide monument (1932), considered to be the second oldest of its kind in the world; unfortunately, only its base survives today, as the Turks have removed the obelisk that used to be on top of it...^[31][32]

There are two monuments in the vicinity of the Turkish-occupiedSaint Makarios (Sourp Magar or Magaravank) monastery in Halevga:

• i) a mortar obelisk, on top of Mekhitar's Hill, to the north-east of the monastery, dedicated to AbbotMekhitar, his visit there in 1695 and the 200th anniversary of the formation of theMekhitarist Order (1931, it replaced an older monument from 1901);
• ii) a stone column, located at the monastery's square to the west of the monastery, dedicated to the visit of CatholicosSahag II there and the opening of the square in 1933.^[33][34]

Below is the list of Prelates, Catholicosal Vicars and locum tenentes of the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus, according to available information. Unfortunately, there are some gaps:

According to available records, the following clergymen served as resident parish priests and spiritual shepherds:

Nicosia:Fr. Bedros Vartanian (1874-1882),Fr. Hovhannes Shahinian (1877-1922),Fr. Yeghia Pekmezian (1877-1880),Fr. Hovhannes Shahanian (1881-1889),Fr. Ghevont Der Nahabedian (1896-1913),Fr. Sahag Minassian (1912-1916),Fr. Arsen Yemenidjian (1922-1926),Archimandrite Krikor Bahlavouni (Topal Vartabed) (1922-1948),Fr. Haroutiun Toumayan (1922-1929),Fr. Hagop Nazarian (1926-1931),Fr. Ohannes Der Megerditchian (1930-1942),Fr. Benjamin Vanerian (1931-1942),Fr. Vahan Jelajian (1936) *,archpriest Khoren Kouligian (1938-1966),Fr. Shahe Semerdjian (1949-1951) *,Fr. Krikor Bedrossian (1951-1954),Fr. Arsen Hagopian (1951-1955) *,archpriest Vazken Sandrouni (1956-2000) *,archpriest Momik Habeshian (2000- ) *.

Larnaca:Fr. Vahan Bulbulian (1912-1913),Fr. Mesrob Keoshgerian (1919-1920 & 1921-1924),Archimandrite Krikor Bahlavouni (Topal Vartabed) (1920-1922),Fr. Arsen Yemenidjian (1921-1922),Fr. Khoren Kouyoumdjian (1921-1922),Bishop Yeghishe Garoyan (1921-1929),Fr. Mesrob Demirdjian (1921-1924),Fr. Yeznig Ashdjian (1921-1925),Fr. Kevork Kalaydjian (1923-1928),Fr. Ohannes Der Megerditchian (1928-1929),Fr. Krikor Bedrossian (1929-1951),Fr. Vartan Avakian (1951-1957) *,Fr. Smpad Der Mekhsian (1957-1962),Fr. Sahag Andekian (1963-1967),Fr. Ashod Gotchian (1966-1968),Fr. Magar Nadjarian (1969-1970),archpriest Parsegh Khatcherian (1971-1984),Fr. Nareg Pehlivanian (1986-1990) *,archpriest Mashdots Ashkarian (1992- ).

Limassol:ArchimandriteVaroujan Hergelian (1970-1974),Senior Archimandrite Hovhannes Saghdedjian (2024- ).

(*) ordained in Cyprus.

Prior to 1974, priests from Nicosia would visit Famagusta and hold Liturgies there. With regard to Limassol, prior to 1970 priests from Nicosia would celebrate Liturgies, whereas between 1974-2024 the Larnaca parish priest was also Limassol's parish priest.

• 
  Sourp Asdvadzadzin cathedral in Acropolis, Nicosia
• 
  Sourp Stepanos church in Larnaca
• 
  Sourp Kevork church in Limassol
• 
  Sourp Boghos chapel in Nicosia
• 
  The entrance gate to Nicosia's ancient Armenian cemetery
• 
  Sourp Haroutiun chapel in Ayios Dhometios, Nicosia
• 
  View of Nicosia's second Armenian cemetery
• 
  Holy Saviour of All chapel in Acropolis, Nicosia
• 
  Shelter at Nicosia's new Armenian cemetery
• 
  View of Nicosia's new Armenian cemetery
• 
  View of Larnaca's Armenian cemetery
• 
  View of Limassol's Armenian cemetery
• 
  The "Vahram Utidjian" Hall of the Prelature, Nicosia
• 
  Old Sourp Asdvadzadzin cathedral in occupied Nicosia
• 
  Entrance to the old Sourp Asdvadzadzin cathedral in occupied Nicosia
• 
  Ganchvor church in Famagusta
• 
  Ganchvor church in Famagusta, next to the Carmelite church
• 
  Panoramic view of Saint Makarios monastery in Halevga (1967)
• 
  Saint Makarios monastery in Halevga (early 1970s)
• 
  Saint Makarios monastery in Halevga (current view)

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