The Turkish occupied town of Lefkoniko in the Mesaoria plain of Cyprus celebrated a special day on Thursday as the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage received the newly conserved church during a special ceremony that brought both communities on the island together.
Greek Cypriot refugees and Turkish Cypriots who live in the town since the 1974 Turkish invasion, celebrated the end of the conservation works, a project that was undertaken by the European Commission which pledged to continue its support to projects that protect cultural heritage and to promote confidence and trust between the communities in Cyprus.
Ali Tuncay, Turkish Cypriot co-chairman of the Technical Committee said cultural heritage and different cultures should no longer be factors that cause conflicts but factors that contribute to cooperation, peace and prosperous living of both communities.
The members of the Technical Committee on Cultural heritage, he said, proved that they could work together to benefit both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, based on respect, equality and mutual trust and hoped that this environment of cooperation extends to other fields to benefit both G/C and T/C.
He stressed the need to eliminate all obstacles and restrictions that apply on cultural heritage to ensure that it is no longer part of the Cyprus problem.
Greek Cypriot co-chairman of the committee, Takis Hadjidemetriou described today an “exceptional day for all” as the church of the Archangel Michael, containing the history of centuries of many people and civilizations, has been rescued from destruction”. He also said this project is yet another example of cooperation, joint work and understanding among Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
This magnificent building, he said, was derelict and abandoned, with trees sprouting from the roof, walls cracked and full of pigeons. The committee, he said, approached Turkish Cypriots before embarking on the conservation work, who informed talked about the church with fondness even informing the committee that someone was looking after the church and rang the bell from time to time.
“Through the monuments we rediscover ourselves and our country”, he said, adding that moments like today give us the opportunity to contemplate the meaning of the Cyprus of the future which is based on respect and multiculturalism. We have finally understood that the road to peace and reconciliation is long and hard, but it is the only one that saves lives and protects monuments”, he added.
European Commission Head of Unit Cyprus-Settlement Support, Structural Reform Support Service, Kjartan Bjornsson, described the project “special” as it was one of the first projects to be identified by the Committee, which makes today a real milestone and the realisation of a lot of work and effort of many people during many months.
He said the Technical Committee on Cultural heritage, the UNDP and the EU have formed a close partnership committed to preserving cultural heritage in Cyprus and “we are proud to be members of this partnership”. Since early 2012, a total of 11.7 million euro has been provided by the EU through the Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot Community to implement the priorities of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage”.
This partnership underscores the importance of unity and respect as core values of the EU, and said he was very impressed to see so many Cypriots celebrating a common history and legacy together. Funding, he went on to add, can help restore the buildings and monuments of the past, but only shared values can lay the foundation for a better confident future and pledged the EU will continue its commitment. “You can count on the EU as a loyal partner sharing your values, to protect cultural heritage and to promote confidence and trust between the communities in Cyprus”.
Tiziana Zennaro, UNDP Cyprus Senior Programme Manager said “we owe these results to the commitment and dedication of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage but also to the support of the European Commission without which, all this would not be possible.
She said the church, with its impressive arcades and its well preserved frescoes, is certainly a precious element in Cyprus’ religious heritage landscape. Zennaro also said that during conservation works Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots offered their concerns and recommendations.
“The aim of these conservation projects is to bring communities together around their shared heritage”, she said.
In statements to CNA, Lefkoniko Mayor Zena Lysandrou Panagidi said she was deeply moved as today is a “great day for Lefkoniko as something which was once a dream, is now a reality, a miracle has taken place”.
Asked if services will be allowed to take place at the newly conserved church, bearing in mind that in the past the Turkish Cypriot regime rejected similar requests for services in other churches, Lysandrou was hopeful.
“We hope that when we celebrate our saint’s feast day on 4th November, we will be given a permit to hold a service and memorials for those we have lost”, she added.
After the ceremony a prayer took place while Turkish Cypriots performed Cypriot folklore dances in the church courtyard.
Archangelos Michael Church was included as a conservation project among the very first priorities of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage in 2009 together with Arnavut Mosque in Limassol in recognition of the importance of both monuments.
Conservation works to Archangelos Michael Church are fully funded by the European Union within the overall 11.7 million Euro Cultural Heritage Programme that the European Commission is implementing through UNDP in Cyprus.
The exact date(s) of the church complex construction is unknown. The existing structure was built in several periods as it was common in the past and renovations took place over the years. These different phases can only be partly recognized today since original walls were either demolished or plastered and phases are not clearly visible.
The church is entirely built with stones and the big arch of the south wall is entirely covered with frescoes.
The main structural interventions aimed at consolidating and stabilising the church in order to bring the building, to the maximum degree possible, to its original state.
The church benefited from a major structural consolidation of walls, vaults, arches and dome with some tie rods stitching and extensive injection grouting.
The dome was repaired, cracks were bridged with tie rods and filled with grouting. The belfry was consolidated and repaired in situ.
The roof of the church was returned to its original barrel shape with repairs and waterproofing. The south portico’s roof was reconstructed. Original doors and windows were restored and/or reconstructed.
A painting of Archangelos Michael, to whom the church is devoted, covers the whole wall of the blind arch. An older fresco was discovered during the works on the intrados of the blind arch of the south wall; repaired and stabilised. This fresco is now visible to the public and protected by a glass case.
Inside the church, frescoes were stabilised and protected, the altar repaired, the iconostasis wooden poles restored, as well as the gynaikonitis (women’s gallery) carved wooden floor. The floor was retained and missing floor elements installed.
Externally, perimeter walls were repaired and the missing parts were reconstructed; entrances were gated and access for persons with disabilities was made possible from the gate on the north side of the church. The courtyard was cleaned, graded and compacted for rainwater management. The old school building adjacent the church was also repaired and a roof was provided.
The Republic of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. The latest round of UN-peace talks ended last July without an agreement. Talks held under the auspices of the UN aim at reunifying Cyprus under a federal roof.