Unforgivable destruction ....
CNA wrote: KYKKOS - MONUMENTS - BOOK
Chairman of the Kykkos Monastery Museum Stelios Perdikis and Byzantine specialist Charalambos Hodjakoglu have deplored the destruction of the Saint Catherine church in Karpasia, in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus.
Speaking during a press conference to present a publication titled ``The religious monuments in Turkish occupied Cyprus. Views and actions of a continuing devastation``, Hodjakoglu said the church was razed in May and, according to Turkish Cypriot testimonies, the aim was to use the debris for works on buildings being erected in Trikomo village.``
``This is happening at a time when we have started a process to solve the Cyprus problem, while a technical committee has been set up for cultural heritage issues. It is not the only church razed intentionally,`` he said, adding that the timing of the recent destruction ``takes on a different dimension and leads to disappointment about the future.``
Perdikis said the Kykkos Monastery Museum is in contact with the chairman and the members of the technical committee on cultural heritage, who have been informed on the case of Saint Catherine church.
Indeed the timing is significant and sadly a common, often repeated tactic of the Turks.
They are using this blackmailing method of destroying our heritage to hasten our acceptance of their demands.
This crime is one of the worst, lowliest forms .... It is pre-mediated, serves no useful purpose to today's people ..... what do they need to build? ... concrete blocks for their colonising settlers? Do they not have enough room elsewhere in that 40% they have stolen?
Yet this was destroyed
forever, so much for future generations, not just for GCs, but riches for many scholars of every nation, and also ordinary people who appreciate our past, be it religious or other.
And to suggest that some are being converted into mosques as a method of preserving them
is yet another show of the unspeakable habits of the invaders .... since they desecrate the memory of the Christians that view them as holy, and forever
condemn those churches to be used as mosques since we know once a mosque is assigned .. they
never allow it to be returned to any other use.
Perhaps our Archbishop can pull a few strings as to our plight:
CNA wrote:Patriarch of Moscow and All Russias Alexios II has assured that the Russian Church and the Russian people support efforts for a united Cyprus and share the pain of the people of Cyprus.
Speaking during a religious ceremony attended by Cyprus Archbishop Chrysostomos II, who is paying an official visit to Russia, Alexios expressed regret over the destruction of Cyprus religious heritage in the islands areas occupied since the Turkish invasion of 1974, expressing however the belief that Cyprus will become a united island with no dividing lines and occupation.
On his part, Archbishop Chrysostomos expressed the gratitude of the people of Cyprus to the government, Church and people of Russia for their constant and serious help to the people of Cyprus.
