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Religious Freedom in the Majority Islamic Countries 1998 Report

Cyprus Population: 860,000 Religion: 80% Greek Orthodox; 18.6% Muslim Catholics: 10,000 Diocese: Cyprian Maronite diocese The press agencies Kathpress and ENI reported on May 6 1998 that in the northern half of the island, under Turkish rule since 1974, outrages were being perpetrated. The most recent of these was the attempt to turn the ancient Armenian Orthodox monastery of San Makar, whose origins go back to the 4th century, into a 50 room hotel. This place of worship has for over a thousand years been a vital religious and cultural point of reference for the Armenian community in Cyprus. The Turks have forbidden the population even to approach the building and have already sold many other sacred building for secular use. The appeals to UNESCO and the European Union - sponsored by Aram I, the Catholicos of Cilicia in Lebanon - have at least resulted in these international bodies undertaking to safeguard this monument, which is of artistic, historical, cultural and religious value.