Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 4.djvu/668

 CYPRUS

590

CYPRUS

Jerusalem ; in 1373 it fell to the Genoese, in 1489 to the Venetians. Finally, in 1571, it became Moslem territory under Sultan Seltm II. In 1878 it was oc- cupied by England and is now administered by an EnglLsh high commissioner, assisted by a board of four English members (Statesman's Year Book, London, 1908). The island is hilly, with few rivers, and the climate is hot. Its once famous cities have perished ; the chief towns are now Lamaca (the best port), Ni- cosia, and Limasol. Its area is 153,584 square miles. The popiJation in 1901 was 237,000 (51,000 MussiJ- mans, 1100 Maronites, 850 Latins, 300 Armenians, a few Protestants and Jews, and the rest Greeks). It produces dates, carobs, oranges and other fruits, oil, wine, and corn. It has also sponge fisheries. Gypsum is mined there and copper mines were worked in an- cient times. Christianity was successfully preached in Cyprus by St. Paul, St. Barnabas (a native of the island), and St. John Mark. At Paphos the magician Elymas was blinded and the Proconsul Sergius Paul us was converted (Acts, xi, xiii, xv). The Byzantine "Synaxaria" mention many saints, bishops, and mar- tyrs of this early period, e.g. St. Lazarus, St. Hera- clides, St. Nicanor (one of the first seven deacons), and others. In the fourth century we find two illustrious names, that of St. Spiridion, the shepherd Bishop of Trimithus, present at the CJouncil of Nic»a in 325 with two other Cypriot bishops, whose relics were removed to Corffl in 1460, and that of St. Epiphanius (d. 403), Bishop of Salamis, the zealous adversary of aU here- sies and author of many valuable theological works. The Bishop of Salamis (later Constantia) was then metropolitan of the whole island, but was himself sub- ject to the Patriarch of Antioch. During the Arian quarrels and the Eustathian schism, the Cypriote Church began to claim its independence. Pope Inno- cent I stood out for the rights of the Antiochene patri- arch, Alexander I. However, it was not long before the Council of Ephesus (43l) in its seventh session acknowledged the ecclesiastical independence of C>y- prus: the cause was gained by the metropolitan, Rheginus, who was present at Ephesus with three of his suffragans. In 488 Peter the Dyer (Petrus Fullo), the famous Monophysite patriarch, made an effort to recover the ancient Antiochene jurisdiction over the island. During the conflict, however, the Cypriote metropolitan, Anthimus, claimed to have learned by a revelation that the site of the sepulchre of St. Barna- bas was quite near his own city of Salamis ; he found there the body of the Apostle with a copy of St. Mat- thew's Gospel, brought the relics to Constantinople, and presented them to the Emperor Zeno. Acacius of Constantinople decided in favour of Cyprus against Antioch, since which time the ecclesiastical indepen- dence {autocephalia) of the island has no more been called in question, the archbishop, known as exarch, ranking immediately after the five great patriarchs.

From the fifth to the twelfth century the following Archbishops of Constantia (Salamis) are worthy of note: Acadius, biographer of St. Symeon Stylites the Younger, and an uncompromising opponent of the Ecthesisof Heraclius (q.v.); Sergius, who condemned this document in a council and sent the pertinent de- cree to Pope Theodore I, but became afterwards in- fected with the very error he had formerly condemned ; George, a defender of the holy images (icons); Con- stantinc, who played a mnsiiicuous i)art in tlieir de- fence at the Second Nicene Council (787); Nicliolas Muzalon, appointed Patriarch of Constantinople in 1147. Another remarkable prelate is St. Detni'tri- anu,s. Bishop of Clhytra-a (ninth and tenth century). After the conquest of Cyprus l)y the Arabs, (132 fit7, the Christian population with its bishoi)s emigrated to the mainland. Justinian II built for them, near the Hellespont, a city wliieh he called Nea Justiriianop- olis; tiicir archbishop enjoyed there the rights lu' had in Cyi)rua, besides exc-rcising jurisdiction over the sur-

rounding country (Quinisext Council, can. xxxix, C92). After the death of Justuiianll the Cypriotes returned to their island with their hierarchy. Under Nice- phorus Phocas (963-969) Cyprus was freed com- pletely from the Arabs, who had sometimes treated it ruore kindly than the Byzantme emperors. Chris- tianity, however, gained by the restoration. To this period belongs the fomidation of three great monas- teries. Our Lady of Pity (Eleusa) of Kykkos, Mach- JEras, and the Encleistra, the last founded in the twelfth century by the recluse Neophytiis, author of several ascetical works. The Prankish rule, though at first accepted rather willingly, was finally the source of profound disturbance. In 1196 King Amaury ob- tained from Celestine III a Latin hierarchy for his kingdom: a resident archbishop was placed at Nico- sia (Leucosia), with three suffragans at Paphos, Li- masol (Temessos), and Famagusta (Ammochostos, formerly Arsinoe). Knights Templars, Carmelites, Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustinians, Benedic- tines, Cistercians, Carthusians, Regular Canons, Pre- monstratensian nmis soon had many flourishing mon- asteries. Splendid chm-ches were built in the Gothic or ogival style, and many Greek chmches were changed into Latin ones. Ecclesiastical revenues were assigned (in part) to the Latin clergy ; the Greek clergy and the faithful were subordinated to Latin jurisdiction. In the execution of the decrees of the Fourth Lateran Council (1215) Cardinal Pelagius, legate of Innocent III, showed himself utterly intran- sigent. Thirteen refractory Greek monks were cruelly put to death. The Greek archbishop, Neophytus, was deposed and exiled, the Greek sees reduced to four, the bishops ordered to reside in small villages and obey the Latin archbishop (1220-1222). Inno- cent IV and Alexander IV were more favourable to the Greeks (Hergenrother-Kirsch, Kirchengesch., 4th ed., 1904, II, 726), and the Government often defended them against the Latins. The ecclesiastical history of Cyprus during this sad period is one of conflict be- tween the two rival communions, the Greeks being always looked on as more or less schismatic both by the Latins and by the Greek Patriarch of Constanti- nople. An attempted union of the two Churches in 1405 did not succeed, nor was the Union of Florence (14.39) more lasting. Li 1489, through the abdication of Queen Caterina Cornaro, the island became sub- ject to Venice, whose rule was even more intolerable to the Greeks, so that, as stated, in 1571 they wel- comed the Turkish conquerors as true deliverers.

Among the more conspicuous Latin Archbishops of Nicosia may be mentioned Eustorge de Montaigu (1217-1250) who died at the siege of Damietta, a stern defender of the rights of his Church and a skilful administrator; he increased the splendoiu- of the church services, established schools, built the archi- episcopal palace and the magnificent cathedral of St. Sophia; ITgo di F.agiano (1251-1201), distinguished for his zeal and piety, but a zealous adversary of the Greeks; Gerard de Langres (1274), deposed by Boni- face VIII for siding with Philip the Fair; Giovanni del Conte (1312), renowned for hLs charity; Cardinal Elie de Nabinals (1332), a great reformer; Andreas of Rhodes (1447), present at the Council of Florence; Filippo Mocenigo (1559), who assisted at the closing sessions of the ('oimcil of Trent, heljied the Venetians against the Turks, and, after the loss of Cyprus, re- tired to Italy. The Latin bishojis of Cyprus showed themselves generally worthy of their mi-ssion, by re- sisting the encroachments of the kings, sometimes also of the Latin Patriarchs of Jeru.salem, and even of the pontifical legates. The only reproach they deserve is a want of tact in their behaviour towards the Greeks, and also that their clergy at certain times were guilty of moral laxity. Few saints appear in Latin Cj^irus; we hear only of the saintly Franciscan, Ugo di Fagiano, and the Dominican, Pierre de La