VISITPILGRIMAGE TO THE ARMENIAN MONASTERY

The Office of the Representative of the Armenian Community, Mr Vartkes Mahldessian, in co-operation with the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus, organised last Sunday 10 May 2009 the second visit-pilgrimage to the Sourp Magar Monastery (Magaravank). The first time was on 6 May 2007,when Armenian Cyprlots visited the occupied Armenian Monastery as a community after 33 years. According to the Representative's Office, around 200 Armenian Cypriots visited the monastery on Sunday, some of whom came especially from abroad.

The monastery was founded by Copts around the year 1000 AD and In 1-425 it was inherited by the Armenians. It is dedicated to Saint Makarios the Hermit of Alexandria and it is located In the eastern part of the Turkish-occupied Pendadhaktyos at an altitude of 550 metres and a small distance from Halevga, within the Plataniotissa forest. The vast land of the monastery, which is ower 8.000 donums, includes 30.000 olive and carob trees, extends up to the sea and is known to be picturesque and idyllic. From the monastery one can see the Taurus mountain range in Cilicia, which is right opposite.

The Armenian Monastery had been for centuries a papular pilgrimage for Armenians and non-Armenians and a place of recuperation for Cathollcoi (Patriarchs) and other clerics from Cilicia, Jerusalem and Armenia, as wetl as a popular centre for local and foreign travellers and for pilgrims en route to the Holy Land. Furthermore, the monastery was used as a summer resort, where Armeniann scouts and students would camp, including students of the Melkonian Educational Institute, many of whom were orphans of the Armenian Genocide. A large number of exquisite and priceless manuscripts, dating back to 1202, as well as other Valuable ecclesiastical relics were housed there . Fortunately, In 19-47 some of them were saved when they were transferred to the "Cilicia" mUseum of the Catholicosate of Cilida.

The Magaravank is the only Armenian monastery In Cyprus and together with the church of the Virgin Mary in occupied Nicosia, it Is the most important Armenian church monument on the island. It WaS occupied in 197-4 during the Turkish invasion and ever since it remains at the mercy of nature, Silent, ruilled, desecrated and deserted, awaiting for Its rightful ownen to return.

Varkes Mahdessian
Representative of the Annenian Community