Roman Catholicism was introduced in Cyprus in 1191, after the occupation of the
island by the crusaders and a regular hierarchy was established in 1196.
In 1571 the Osmanli conquered the island and all Catholics were expelled. Soon
afterwards missionaries however returned to the island and gradually a new small
Catholic community re-emerged. (1)
The cummunity was under the care of the Vicars Apostolic of Aleppo from 1762 to
1848 and then under that of the Latin Patriarchs of Jerusalem.
(1) Most of its members were foreigners and former "Lino-Bambaki" (Catholics
formally converted to the Islam after the conquest), but there also were
some Armenian and Islamic converts.
MARONITE RITE
CYPRUS
The first Maronites came to Cyprus in the 8th century. As their community grew a
separate Maronite Diocese of Cyprus was erected in the early 14th century when
the island was ruled by Catholic kings.
After the Osmanli conquest of the island in 1571, the community slowly declined
and by the end of the 17th century their bishops no longer resided on the island,
but in Lebanon where they also received jurisdiction over the region of Antelias
in 1736.
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Bishops
1844 - 1882 Joseph Geagea
1882 - 1892 Joseph Zogbi
1892 - 1... Nemtallah Salwan
1906 - 1910 Pierre Zogbi
1911 - 1941 Paul Awad
1942 - 1954 François Ayoub
Back to ROMAN CATHOLIC REGIONAL HIERARCHY
