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People
Cyprus
Kiprianos (1756-1821)
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Kiprianos {Κυπριανός} (1756-1821). Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Cyprus. Kiprianos was Archbishop of Cyprus and a member of the "Society of Friends" [The Society] which had decided that Cyprus should not take up an armed struggle, mainly because of its geographical position, but should confine itself to providing material support.
Even so, Greek-Cypriots joined the society of Friends at the outset and gave both moral and material support to the common cause. So, despite the difficulty caused by the geographical position of Cyprus, Greek-Cypriots played an active role in the Nation's 1821 Struggle for Freedom [Contents] from Ottoman rule.
Therefore, in spite of the fact that peace reigned on the island, the Ottoman Governor, Mehmet Küçük, asked Sultan Mahmud II (1785-1839) permission to execute 486 distinguished members of the Greek-Cypriot community so as to obliterate the island's leadership. As soon as permission was given, those people were arrested and were executed in July 1821.
Among those hanged between July 9th and July 12th were Archbishop Kiprianos, head of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus and his Archdeacon Meletios {Μελέτιος}, the Orthodox Eparch {Mitropolitis ~ Μητροπολίτης} of Pafos {Πάφος} Hrisanthos {Χρύσανθος}, the Orthodox Eparch of Kitio {Κίτιο} Meletios {Μελέτιος}, the Orthodox Eparch of Cyreneia {Kerinia ~ Κερήνεια} Lavrendios {Λαυρέντιος} and other Bishops and notable figures.
According to some estimates, over 20,000 Cypriots left the island to escape the oppression which followed.
Kiprianos (1756-1821)
04-06-2004