Cyprus-Forum.com

[Tim Drayton]

Does the Greek Orthodox church have Nuns/convents? ı have visited a few monastaries but never seen a Nunnery.

There is a convent just outside Agios Athanasios, where I live.

[Filitsa]

"From the mid-7th century to the mid-10th century, there were frequent Arab attacks against Cyprus that often wrought widespread devastation. Because of this Arab threat, Byzantine Emperor Justinian II evacuated the Christian population of the island from 688 to 695 and settled many of them in a new city on the Dardanelles called Nea Justiniana. The Archbishop of Cyprus took up residence there and was given the additional title of Archbishop of Nea Justiniana, an honor that he retains to this day. The decisive victory of Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus II Phocas (963-969) over the Arabs inaugurated a period of peace during which churches and monasteries were rebuilt and the church flourished. In the 11th and 12th centuries, however, there was growing resentment against the oppressive rule of successive Byzantine governors who often used Cyprus as a basis for rebellion against the Emperors in Constantinople."

http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx ... exView=toc

That is a refreshingly good link... explains the origin of the term. Not quite the why, though

There is a reference to a place in Serbia too ...

Could you be more specific about the "why" please, and I'll see what I can do. In other words, why what?