Savvas Papasavvas "The Role of the Greek Orthodox Church in the ...

THE ROLE OF THE GREEK-
ORTHODOX CHURCH IN THE
CASE OF CYPRUS BETWEEN
1955-1963
By
Papasavvas Savvas

20’

Main Parts Of The
Presentation
Introduction
Historical - Political backround of the
case of Cyprus ( 1955-1963)
The Role of the Greek-Orthodox Church
Conclusion

Introduction
“Cyprus can be proud for 3 things”
(Venedictos Egglezakis )

Its geographical position

Its history

Table of the historical periods of the
Cyprus history since 709 B.C
Chronology Period
709 – 609 BC
525 – 333 BC
333 – 58 BC
58 – 333 AM
330 – 1191 AM
1191 – 1571 AM
1571 – 1878 AM
1878 – 1960 AM
1960 -
Assyrian period
Persian period
Hellenistic
Roman period
Byzantine period
The Frankish period
The Ottoman period
The British period
The period of
Independence

Its religion

Key dates about religion
Chronology Fact
45 A.C
~ 400 A.C
7-9 9 century A. A.C A. A.C
698 A. A.C
1192 – 1571 A.C A.
1571 – 1878 A.C A.
1878 – 1960 A.C A.
1960 -
“ The Cypriots were between the
first who embrace Christianity” ( The
Acts of the Apostles)
Christianity prevail in Cyprus and the
Orthodox church of Cyprus earn its
independence.
The Arab incursions and the
movement of the movement of the
Archbishop chair
The beginning of the renaissance of
the church
The Frankish period
The Ottoman period
The British Rule period
The Independence period

Historical -Political backround in
the case of Cyprus ( 1955-1963)
1955 -1959
1959 -1960
1961 -1963

1955-1959
The Fight for the Union with Greece

1955-1959
The Fight for the Union with
15 Jan- 22 Jan 1950
Greece

1953 - 1955

1st of April 1955
05:00pm

1955 - 1959

3rd of March 1957

19th November 1958

27th February 1957

General Harding
( Newspaper “The News” )
( 10 th March 1986)

1959-1960
The Zurich – London agreements and
foundation of the Republic Cyprus

Key dates of the period
11 February 1959 1959 Agreement between Greece and
Turkey for the case of Cyprus.
17 November 1959 1959 Foundation of DEK

13th December 1959
66,85%

08 April 1960
Signing of the constitution of the
Republic of Cyprus.

16 August 1960

First meeting of the cabinet

Table of the members of the first cabinet
Archibishop Makarios 3rd President of the Republic of
Cyprus
Dr Fazil Kucuk Vice - President of the
Republic of Cyprus
Greek - Cypriot
Turkish - Cypriot
Theocharous Riginos Minister of Finance Greek - Cypriot
Glafkos Klirides Minister of Justice Greek - Cypriot
Tasos Papadopoulos Minister of Internal Affairs Greek - Cypriot
Andreas Araouzos Minister of Trade and
Industry
Greek - Cypriot
Spyros Kyprianou Minister of Foreign Affairs Greek – Cypriot
Polykarpos Giorkatzis Minister of Labor Greek - Cypriot
Osman Orek Minister of Defence Turkish - Cypriot
Dr Niazi Maniera Minister of Health Turkish - Cypriot
Fasil Plumer Minister of Agriculture Turkish - Cypriot

01 September 1960

1961 - 1963
The early years of the Republic of
Cyprus

Key dates of the period
1st September 1961 Cyprus becomes a founded member
of the Non-Alighned Movement
January 1962 Vice president’s veto
30 November 1962 President Makarios present 13 points
that wanted to be changed to the constitution of the Republic.
They were all be vetoed by the Vice- president.
16 December 1962 The Turkish Ambassador announces
Makarios his goverment’s refusal to the 13 points.
21 December 1962 The beginning of the minorities conflict

THE ROLE OF THE GREEK –
ORTHODOX CHURCH

1571: Sultan’s order for the Cyprus church

August 1878

General
John Hurting
1956
(The origins of Church...
to the modern era)

1950: Referendum for Union with Greece

22 nd of August 1954: “The
oath of Phaneromeni”

1955 - 1959
Archbishop Mararios III
Priestly School
Holy Monastery in Kykkos mountain
EOKA’s attempt to keep the Greek-
Cypriots close to the church.

Archibishop Makarios III

March 1956

The Priestly School of Nicosia

The Holy Monastery of Kykkos

1959 - 1960
Question 1
Why he sign the independence instead
of the Union?

Answer 1
“ The Cypriots took what they were able
to not what they wanted to”

Question 2
(a)Why Makarios won the 1st elections,
why the Cypriots trusted a priest to
governon them instead of a politician?
(b) Why he wanted to maintain his
ethnarchic role after the independence
instead of remain on his religious
duties. ( Rules of the Apostles)

Answer 2
(i) Respect figure among the Cypriots
(ii) The Cypriots wouldn’t accept for
president a non- EOKA fighter.
(iii) He sign the independence, the most
(iii) He sign the independence, the most
suitable to deal with it.
(iv) His action during the struggle and the
agreements made him a world known
figure.
(v) Absence of capable politicians

1961 - 1963
Makarios strengthness his political
position and his ethnarchic role.
Parliamental elections
30/ 35 elected members of the
parliament were chosen by him

What helped him to achive
that
(a) The majority of the priests supported
him.
(b) Ministers ex – EOKA fighters
(c) Support from the media

Negative consequences of the
ethnarchic role of Makarios
(a) His ethnarchic role created a great
mistrust to the Head of the state by the
Turkish – Cypriot minority and Turkey itself.
(b) The fact that a lot of priests weren’t
(b) The fact that a lot of priests weren’t
approving the implication of the Head of the
church in the island’s political life
consequenced the creation of an inbalance in
the church.

Conclusion
Important role
Better the ethnarchic role of the
Archibishop being gradually terminated
after 1963.