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Page 07
RELIGION
Everyone in the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has the right of religious freedom in
teaching, worship and observance, without any interference from the State.
There is no religious or denominational bar to the holding of public office.
Article 23 of the Constitution of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
under the heading of " Freedom of Conscience and Religion " guarantees this:
Article 23
(1) Every individual has
freedom of conscience, religious faith and
opinion.
(2) Forms of worship and
religious ceremonies and rites are free
provided they do not
contravene public order or public morals or
the laws enacted for
these purposes.
(3) No person shall be
compelled to worship, to participate in
religious ceremonies
and rites or to reveal his religious faith or
belief; and no
person shall be reproached for his religious faith
or belief.
(4) Religious education
and teaching is carried out under the
supervision and
control of the State.
(5) No person shall
exploit or abuse, in any manner whatsoever,
religion or
religious feelings or things considered sacred by
religion for the
purpose of founding, even though partially,
basic social,
economic, political or legal order of the state on
religious precepts
or for the purpose of securing political or
personnel advantage
of influence. In the case of real or legal
persons violating
this prohibition or inducing others to do so, the
provisions of the
relevant law shall be applied and political
parties shall be
permanently closed down by the Supreme Court
sitting as the
Constitutional Court.
There are two
established religions in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus: Islam and
Christianity.
ISLAM
Muslims make up
99% of the population of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Most of
its adherents are Sunnis of the Hanafi Sect. The religious head of the
Muslim community was in the past known as the Mufti. The Office of the Evkaf
serves the religious needs of the Muslims of the Republic.
Over four
centuries long existence on Cyprus of the religious and cultural heritage of
the Turkish Cypriots stems from the Ottoman Empire which ruled the island
between 1571 and 1878.
Unlike their
predecessors, the Franks (1192-1489) and the Venetians (1489-1571), who had
deprived the Greek Cypriots Orthodox Church of its religious freedom and
sought to impose Latin Church rites, the Ottomans who took over the island
in 1571 showed great respect and tolerance for all the diverse religions on
the island.
Many Greek
Orthodox churches had fallen into disrepair as a result of Frankish and
Venetial repression; the Ottoman authorities helped to repair and restore
them to use. As well as the religious buildings, the Greek Cypriot Orthodox
Church was also given land and total freedom to enjoy its independence.
During the
Ottoman Period, religious foundations or pious endowments called `Vakif'
(plural Evkaf) were set up in the newly created areas of the empire to
support religious, cultural, and social activities.
Islamic Monuments in Cyprus
Within this
framework, Ottomans architects were called in from the centre of the empire
to supplement the work of the locals in building new mosques, tekkes, inns,
fountains, baths etc., thus putting their own individual stamp on the
country which they ruled until 1878. Of those that were built, some are
indeed of architectural interest such as the Arab Ahmet Mosque, the Sarayonu
and Turunclu Mosque in Nicosia, the Cafer Pasha Mosque in Kyrenia, the
Haydar Pashazade Mehmet Bey Mosque in Lapta, Piri Pasha Mosque in Lefke.
Among other
forms of religious architecture the Tekkes deserve mention: The Zafiye-Tekke
near the Kyrenia Gate in Nicosia which belonged to the Mevlevi Order of
Dervishes ( the "whirling" dervishes ). The Kutup Osman Tekke in Famagusta.
The most famous of all Tekkes is the Hala Sultan Tekke at the Salt Lake near
Larnaca which was built on the spot where Hala Sultan, a relative of Prophet
Muhammed died in the course of the Arab conquests of Cyprus between the
seventh and tenth century.
Hz. Omer Tekke,
east of Kyrenia also dates back to these Arab conquests of Cyprus.
The unbroken
four hundred year old Islamic tradition of the Turkish Cypriots is also
reflected in the celebrations of Bayram (the religious holidays), the local
customs, music and folk-dancing.
The Period 1963-1974: Persecution of Islam in Cyprus
In 1963 the
Greek/Greek Cypriot ambition to achieve Enosis (the union of Cyprus with
Greece), culminated in a terrible onslaught, with much bloodshed, on the
unarmed Turkish Cypriot people, depriving them of their fundamental human
rights. It left thousands of them dead, wounded, missing and uprooted from
their homes.
An important
aspect of these attacks was the deliberate destruction of over 100 mosques,
shrines and other precious Ottoman and Islamic antiquities. This took place
in 103 towns and villages which the Turkish Cypriots were forced to abandon.
The persecution of Moslem Turks of Cyprus between 1963-1974, was put to an
end after the rightful intervention of Turkey on 20 July 1974, in accordance
with the Treaty of Guarantee.
After having
won their freedom and independence the Turkish Cypriots have joined the
Islamic Conference Organization in observer status, thus taking their due
place in the second biggest religious community of the world. Today the TRNC
regularly participates in the activities of the Islamic Conference
Organization.
Christianity
Christians make
up 1% of the population of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Three branches
of Christianity serve the visiting and resident community in the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus. The Anglican Church of St. Andrew in Kyrenia
near the Castle; the Roman Catholic Church near the Dome Hotel, Kyrenia, the
Maronite Church of Ayios Georgios, Korucam; the Greek Orthodox Church at
Dipkarpaz.
On 30 November
(St Andrew's Day) each year a service is held in the Apostolos Andreas
Monastery Church on Zafer Burnu.
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