Kormakitis
Encyclopedia
Kormakitis is a small village in Cyprus
, part of the de facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Kormakitis is one of four traditionally Maronite
villages in Cyprus, the other three being Asomatos
, Ayia Marina
and Karpaseia
. The Maronites of Kormakitis traditionally speak their own unique variety of Arabic
called Cypriot Maronite Arabic
(CMA) in addition to Greek
and recently Turkish
. Cape Kormakitis
is named after the village.
Lebanon
. Feeling nostalgic, they used to repeat the sentence “Nahni jina oua Kour majit” “We arrived in Cyprus but we had to leave you, Kour”. The worlds Kour majit is one example of how the village gained its name.
The second version is related to the 8th century B.C. The Phoenicians were very famous for their commerce activities. Cyprus is not far from Lebanon, so they built a commercial town on the northwestern part of the island which they named Kormia. Historians believe that Kormia was built near the village of Livera
. It was a rich town, well known for the commerce activities. With the Islamic conquests
radiating outward from the Arabian Peninsula
, many Maronites abandoned Syria
and Lebanon and settled in Kormia. However, being persecuted by pirates
, they left the town and built a new one, the Kormia jtite “New Kormia”. The new name is one example of how the village gained its name.
Note that both of those etymologies are consistent with the actual name of the village in Cypriot Greek
, Κορματζίτης /Korma'dʒitis/ and Cypriot Turkish
Kormacit /Korma'dʒit/. The standard greek name Kormakitis is an attempt to adjust the name to standard greek pronunciation, whereas the new turkish name Koruçam was made up after 1974 for political reasons.
The last version was given by many historians who believe that Kormakitis is related to the ancient state of Kermia. In his biography, Saint Barnabas
(5th century A.C) mentions the location of Krommiakitis, next to the village of Livera. In this area used to be the ancient state of Kermia. This is one example of how the village gained its name. Historians believe that Saint Barnabas visited the village.
community in Cyprus was shaped by four successive waves of emigration that started in the 8th century. With the Islamic conquests radiating outward from the Arab Peninsula, many Maronites abandoned Syria and Lebanon and settled in Cyprus. In 938, the destruction of St Maron's Monastery in Lebanon prompted a second wave of refugee
s. Another three centuries passed and Crusader king Guy of Lusignan
purchased Cyprus from Richard the Lionheart
, leading the former to import Maronite warriors to the island to protect its coastlines. The last wave of emigration came 100 years later when Acre
, last outpost of the Crusader edifice
, collapsed leading to the last migration of Maronites to Cyprus. Kormakitis was originally built near Cape Kormakitis, but because of Arab raids the village was moved to its current location. The new location of the village was chosen because it provided better protection against raids and the new site also contained an ample supply of water and lush vegetation for agriculture and livestock. During the period of 1191-1948, the village of Kormakitis was one of the richest fiefs
of the island, which belonged to the French feudal Denores. The Maronites at the time hold 60 villages with a reported number of 60,000 and was the second largest community after the Greek Cypriots
. In 1570, Kormakitis had 850 inhabitants.
of Cyprus, the number of residences considerably decreased; in 1841, there were only 200 inhabitants. The decrease was due to the anti-Catholic policy across the Ottoman Empire
, Maronites in Kormakitis and other Maronite villages were forced to pay high taxation. Villagers who remained also suffered various prosecutions and harassment by Ottoman Turks
and Greek Cypriots alike. The number of Maronites across Cyprus decreased simultaneously, in 1572 there were between 7000 to 8000 Maronites, who lived in 23 villages, in 1596 there were 4.000 Maronites, living in 19 villages. Under the British administration
in Cyprus, the Maronite Community was promoted by the British government, whose policy was to support minorities. This resulted in better living conditions for the population of Kormakitis. By 1910 Kormakitis relied on agriculture and livestock, which produced grain, olives, beans, cotton, cocoons and other crops.
gained independence in 1960 a number of projects were carried out within the village. In 1962 the village school was constructed, which was able to enrol 210 students and employ seven teachers. In 1965 the village was connected the the electric grid and houses were connected to water mains for the first time.
Following years of intercommunal violence
, on the 15th July 1974, there was an attempted coup d'état led by the Greek military junta to unite the island with Greece
. The coup ousted president Makarios III
and replaced him with pro-enosis
nationalist Nikos Sampson
. On the 20th July 1974, the Turkish army invaded
the island in response to the coup d'état. Despite the restoration of constitutional order and the return of Archbishop Makarios III to Cyprus in December 1974, the Turkish troops remained on the island occupying the northeastern portion of the island. This resulted in the island being divided into its Greek and Turkish Cypriot cominites respectively. Many of Kormakitis residences choose to migrate to the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus
.
Before the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, Kormakitis had around 1,000 inhabitants. However since then, the number of Maronites has dwindled. It is estimated that between 100 to 165 Maronites remained in the TRNC. The decline in population has been attributed to a lack of jobs and secondary education
, leading to migration
, migrating mainly to Nicosia
and Limassol
. Evidence of Kormakitis declining young population was seen when during the school year 1999–2000, the Kormakitis Primary School was forced to close down, due to lack of pupils.
In 2006, TRNC officials announced that Maronites from the village of Kormakitis have been given an opportunity to return to the village. This has been made possible by the fact that the houses and properties in question at Kormakitis, were not seized by Turkish settlers and Turkish Cypriots
during the aftermath of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. However, the Maronites have to meet a certain criteria. Firstly, they need to be the legitimate owner of a house or property in the village to be allowed to resettle. Secondly, they also have to move back to the village and reside there. Maronites are not allowed to reclaim their property and then simply commute to and from Kormakitis to the Republic of Cyprus controlled areas. Some 40 people, mainly elderly couples, meanwhile, have permanently resettled in the village.
All of the remaining Maronites villagers are elderly
. The Republic of Cyprus government gives those who stayed in the north pensions of $670 a month per couple and around $430 for an individual. It also pays instructors to teach CMA, and funds week long summer visits by young Maronites to put them in touch with their communal roots. In addition, Maronites also receive help from the United Nations
. Every two weeks UN troops
make the trip from Nicosia to deliver food, water, fuel and medical supplies across the border
to the north’s Maronite population. The UN aid convoy is manned by soldiers from the 12 Regiment, Royal Artillery. Aid is funded by the Republic of Cyprus government but is delivered by the UN.
During the weekends the population of Kormakitis swells to more than 600 as former displaced residents return to visit relatives and celebrate mass. Access has been made easier since 2003 when the Turkish Cypriot authorities relaxed rules on visits to Northern Cyprus. Many Maronites who were displaced from Kormakitis have been renovating and upgrading the village and homes for weekend use.
, a denomination
of the Catholic Church. Saint George's Church, located within Kormakitis was built in 1930. Devoted to the patron saint of the village the Church, construction started in 1900. The designs and plans of the church were prepared by the Maltese
architect Fenec and the Maltese Civil Engineer Cafiero. The inhabitants of the village offered considerable donations for the construction of the church. The church constituted as the official church of the Maronite Church of Cyprus, prior 1974. Today, Saint George's Church is used by the remaining inhabitants. Many icons and religious items dating from the 12th century are located within the Cathedral.
The Chapel of Saint George, often referred as Chapel of Saint George of the seeds, is a chapel situated near the Mediterranean Sea
, North of Kormakitis. It was built in 1852. Every year, on the 3rd of November, a Mass
is celebrated by the Maronite Community dedicated to Saint George
. This is done to coincide with the start of the agricultural season, the farmers pray to Saint George for a successful harvest. According to the tradition, after Mass, the Maronites have lunch by the sea so as to celebrate Saint George.
The Chapel of the Holy Virgin is a small chapel situated in the west of the village. The chapel was thought to have been built in 1453. Recently renovated it is frequently visited.
The Chapel of Saint George, often referred as Chapel of Saint George of the Nuns, is a chapel situated next to the monastery of the Franciscan sisters, in the center of the village. It was built in 1534 and was the first chapel to be built inside the village. The monastery of the Franciscan sisters was built in 1936, next to the square of the village.
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, part of the de facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Kormakitis is one of four traditionally Maronite
Maronites in Cyprus
The Maronites in Cyprus are members of the Maronite Church whose ancestors migrated from the Levant during the Middle Ages. They traditionally speak their own variety of Arabic in addition to Greek...
villages in Cyprus, the other three being Asomatos
Asomatos, Kyrenia
Asomatos is situated in the Kyrenia District near the villages of Myrtou, Karpaseia and Kambyli. It is the biggest Maronite village after the village of Kormakitis. Before the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, its inhabitants numbered 527 people, whereas today there are only two octogenarian women...
, Ayia Marina
Ayia Marina, Cyprus
Agia Marina is the only Maronite village situated in the Nicosia District, 24 km west of the capital of the island and east of Morphou. It took its name from Saint Marina ....
and Karpaseia
Karpaseia
Karpasha is located 30km southwest of Kyrenia, on the north it is the village of Myrtou, west the village of Diorios and south the village of Kampyli. The village took its name from the Turkish word “Kurp-Asia” which means near Asia....
. The Maronites of Kormakitis traditionally speak their own unique variety of Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
called Cypriot Maronite Arabic
Cypriot Maronite Arabic
Cypriot Arabic, known as Cypriot Maronite Arabic, is a variety of Arabic spoken by the Maronite community of Cyprus. Most speakers are situated in the capital, Nicosia, while others are located in Kormakitis and Limassol...
(CMA) in addition to Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and recently Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
. Cape Kormakitis
Cape Kormakitis
Cape Kormakitis is a promontory on the north-western coast of the Mediterranean island country of Cyprus. Named after the nearby Maronite village of the same name, the cape marks the northernmost extent of Morphou Bay. The nearest coastal town to Cape Kormakitis is Kyrenia....
is named after the village.
Etymology
There are several versions for the name of the village. The most common version is related to the Maronites who arrived from Kour, a village in NorthernNorth Governorate
North Governorate is one of the governorates of Lebanon. Its capital is Tripoli.-Districts:The North Governorate is divided into districts, or aqdya...
Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. Feeling nostalgic, they used to repeat the sentence “Nahni jina oua Kour majit” “We arrived in Cyprus but we had to leave you, Kour”. The worlds Kour majit is one example of how the village gained its name.
The second version is related to the 8th century B.C. The Phoenicians were very famous for their commerce activities. Cyprus is not far from Lebanon, so they built a commercial town on the northwestern part of the island which they named Kormia. Historians believe that Kormia was built near the village of Livera
Livera
Livera is a small village in Kyrenia District located at the Cape Kormakitis, 8 km northwest of village of Kormakitis.Since the Turkish invasion in 1974, the village has been solely inhabited by Turkish mainland settlers....
. It was a rich town, well known for the commerce activities. With the Islamic conquests
Muslim conquests
Muslim conquests also referred to as the Islamic conquests or Arab conquests, began with the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He established a new unified polity in the Arabian Peninsula which under the subsequent Rashidun and Umayyad Caliphates saw a century of rapid expansion of Muslim power.They...
radiating outward from the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
, many Maronites abandoned Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Lebanon and settled in Kormia. However, being persecuted by pirates
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
, they left the town and built a new one, the Kormia jtite “New Kormia”. The new name is one example of how the village gained its name.
Note that both of those etymologies are consistent with the actual name of the village in Cypriot Greek
Cypriot Greek
The Cypriot dialect of Modern Greek, known as Kypriaka , Cypriot Greek is spoken by 750,000 people in Cyprus and diaspora Greek Cypriots.Cypriot Greek is distinct enough that it can be classified as a distinct dialect of the Standard Greek....
, Κορματζίτης /Korma'dʒitis/ and Cypriot Turkish
Cypriot Turkish
Cypriot Turkish, known locally as Kıbrıs Türkçesi, is a Turkish dialect spoken by Turkish Cypriots.- History :Cypriot Turkish is the vernacular spoken by Turkish Cypriots both in Cyprus and among its diaspora....
Kormacit /Korma'dʒit/. The standard greek name Kormakitis is an attempt to adjust the name to standard greek pronunciation, whereas the new turkish name Koruçam was made up after 1974 for political reasons.
The last version was given by many historians who believe that Kormakitis is related to the ancient state of Kermia. In his biography, Saint Barnabas
Barnabas
Barnabas , born Joseph, was an Early Christian, one of the earliest Christian disciples in Jerusalem. In terms of culture and background, he was a Hellenised Jew, specifically a Levite. Named an apostle in , he and Saint Paul undertook missionary journeys together and defended Gentile converts...
(5th century A.C) mentions the location of Krommiakitis, next to the village of Livera. In this area used to be the ancient state of Kermia. This is one example of how the village gained its name. Historians believe that Saint Barnabas visited the village.
Middle Ages
Originally from Lebanon and Syria, today's MaroniteMaronites in Cyprus
The Maronites in Cyprus are members of the Maronite Church whose ancestors migrated from the Levant during the Middle Ages. They traditionally speak their own variety of Arabic in addition to Greek...
community in Cyprus was shaped by four successive waves of emigration that started in the 8th century. With the Islamic conquests radiating outward from the Arab Peninsula, many Maronites abandoned Syria and Lebanon and settled in Cyprus. In 938, the destruction of St Maron's Monastery in Lebanon prompted a second wave of refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s. Another three centuries passed and Crusader king Guy of Lusignan
Guy of Lusignan
Guy of Lusignan was a Poitevin knight, son of Hugh VIII of the prominent Lusignan dynasty. He was king of the crusader state of Jerusalem from 1186 to 1192 by right of marriage to Sibylla of Jerusalem, and of Cyprus from 1192 to 1194...
purchased Cyprus from Richard the Lionheart
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
, leading the former to import Maronite warriors to the island to protect its coastlines. The last wave of emigration came 100 years later when Acre
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
, last outpost of the Crusader edifice
Crusader states
The Crusader states were a number of mostly 12th- and 13th-century feudal states created by Western European crusaders in Asia Minor, Greece and the Holy Land , and during the Northern Crusades in the eastern Baltic area...
, collapsed leading to the last migration of Maronites to Cyprus. Kormakitis was originally built near Cape Kormakitis, but because of Arab raids the village was moved to its current location. The new location of the village was chosen because it provided better protection against raids and the new site also contained an ample supply of water and lush vegetation for agriculture and livestock. During the period of 1191-1948, the village of Kormakitis was one of the richest fiefs
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
of the island, which belonged to the French feudal Denores. The Maronites at the time hold 60 villages with a reported number of 60,000 and was the second largest community after the Greek Cypriots
Greek Cypriots
Greek Cypriots are the ethnic Greek population of Cyprus, forming the island's largest ethnolinguistic community at 77% of the population. Greek Cypriots are mostly members of the Church of Cyprus, an autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church within the wider communion of Orthodox Christianity...
. In 1570, Kormakitis had 850 inhabitants.
Ottoman and British administration
During the Ottoman ruleCyprus under the Ottoman Empire
The Eyalet of Cyprus was created in 1571, and changed its status frequently. It was a sanjak of the Eyalet of the Archipelago from 1660 to 1703, and again from 1784 onwards; a fief of the Grand Vizier , and again an eyalet for the short period 1745-1748.- Ottoman raids and conquest :Throughout the...
of Cyprus, the number of residences considerably decreased; in 1841, there were only 200 inhabitants. The decrease was due to the anti-Catholic policy across the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, Maronites in Kormakitis and other Maronite villages were forced to pay high taxation. Villagers who remained also suffered various prosecutions and harassment by Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
and Greek Cypriots alike. The number of Maronites across Cyprus decreased simultaneously, in 1572 there were between 7000 to 8000 Maronites, who lived in 23 villages, in 1596 there were 4.000 Maronites, living in 19 villages. Under the British administration
Modern history of Cyprus
This article covers the modern history of Cyprus, from 1878 to the present.-Cyprus as a Protectorate:In 1878 as a result of the Cyprus Convention, the United Kingdom received as a protectorate, the island of Cyprus from the Ottoman Empire in exchange for United Kingdoms military support to the...
in Cyprus, the Maronite Community was promoted by the British government, whose policy was to support minorities. This resulted in better living conditions for the population of Kormakitis. By 1910 Kormakitis relied on agriculture and livestock, which produced grain, olives, beans, cotton, cocoons and other crops.
Contemporary era
After CyprusCyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
gained independence in 1960 a number of projects were carried out within the village. In 1962 the village school was constructed, which was able to enrol 210 students and employ seven teachers. In 1965 the village was connected the the electric grid and houses were connected to water mains for the first time.
Following years of intercommunal violence
Cypriot intercommunal violence
Cypriot intercommunal violence refers to periods of sectarian conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots on the island of Cyprus from 1963 to 1974.-Background:...
, on the 15th July 1974, there was an attempted coup d'état led by the Greek military junta to unite the island with Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. The coup ousted president Makarios III
Makarios III
Makarios III , born Andreas Christodolou Mouskos , was the archbishop and primate of the autocephalous Cypriot Orthodox Church and the first President of the Republic of Cyprus ....
and replaced him with pro-enosis
Enosis
Enosis refers to the movement of the Greek-Cypriot population to incorporate the island of Cyprus into Greece.Similar movements had previously developed in other regions with ethnic Greek majorities such as the Ionian Islands, Crete and the Dodecanese. These regions were eventually incorporated...
nationalist Nikos Sampson
Nikos Sampson
Nikos Sampson was the de facto president of Cyprus who succeeded Archbishop Makarios, President of Cyprus, in 1974. Sampson was a journalist and a member of EOKA, which rose against the British colonial administration, seeking Enosis of the island of Cyprus with Greece...
. On the 20th July 1974, the Turkish army invaded
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus...
the island in response to the coup d'état. Despite the restoration of constitutional order and the return of Archbishop Makarios III to Cyprus in December 1974, the Turkish troops remained on the island occupying the northeastern portion of the island. This resulted in the island being divided into its Greek and Turkish Cypriot cominites respectively. Many of Kormakitis residences choose to migrate to the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
.
Before the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, Kormakitis had around 1,000 inhabitants. However since then, the number of Maronites has dwindled. It is estimated that between 100 to 165 Maronites remained in the TRNC. The decline in population has been attributed to a lack of jobs and secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
, leading to migration
Human migration
Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
, migrating mainly to Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
and Limassol
Limassol
Limassol is the second-largest city in Cyprus, with a population of 228,000 . It is the largest city in geographical size, and the biggest municipality on the island. The city is located on Akrotiri Bay, on the island's southern coast and it is the capital of Limassol District.Limassol is the...
. Evidence of Kormakitis declining young population was seen when during the school year 1999–2000, the Kormakitis Primary School was forced to close down, due to lack of pupils.
In 2006, TRNC officials announced that Maronites from the village of Kormakitis have been given an opportunity to return to the village. This has been made possible by the fact that the houses and properties in question at Kormakitis, were not seized by Turkish settlers and Turkish Cypriots
Turkish Cypriots
Turkish Cypriots are the ethnic Turks and members of the Turkish-speaking ethnolinguistic community of the Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The term is used to refer explicitly to the indigenous Turkish Cypriots, whose Ottoman Turkish forbears colonised the island in 1571...
during the aftermath of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. However, the Maronites have to meet a certain criteria. Firstly, they need to be the legitimate owner of a house or property in the village to be allowed to resettle. Secondly, they also have to move back to the village and reside there. Maronites are not allowed to reclaim their property and then simply commute to and from Kormakitis to the Republic of Cyprus controlled areas. Some 40 people, mainly elderly couples, meanwhile, have permanently resettled in the village.
All of the remaining Maronites villagers are elderly
Old age
Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle...
. The Republic of Cyprus government gives those who stayed in the north pensions of $670 a month per couple and around $430 for an individual. It also pays instructors to teach CMA, and funds week long summer visits by young Maronites to put them in touch with their communal roots. In addition, Maronites also receive help from the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. Every two weeks UN troops
United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus was established in 1964 to prevent a recurrence of fighting between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and to contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and a return to normal conditions...
make the trip from Nicosia to deliver food, water, fuel and medical supplies across the border
United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus
The United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus runs for more than along what is known as the Green Line and has an area of . The zone partitions the island of Cyprus into a southern area effectively controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus , and the northern area...
to the north’s Maronite population. The UN aid convoy is manned by soldiers from the 12 Regiment, Royal Artillery. Aid is funded by the Republic of Cyprus government but is delivered by the UN.
During the weekends the population of Kormakitis swells to more than 600 as former displaced residents return to visit relatives and celebrate mass. Access has been made easier since 2003 when the Turkish Cypriot authorities relaxed rules on visits to Northern Cyprus. Many Maronites who were displaced from Kormakitis have been renovating and upgrading the village and homes for weekend use.
Climate
Kormakitis has a hot Semi-arid climate with long, dry and hot summers and cool winters with mixed weather of sunny spells and rain.Churches
As a Maronite village, several churches and chapels have been built within Kormakitis and the surrounding fields. These churches and chapels belong to the Maronite ChurchMaronite Church
The Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See of Rome . It traces its heritage back to the community founded by Maron, a 4th-century Syriac monk venerated as a saint. The first Maronite Patriarch, John Maron, was elected in the late 7th...
, a denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
of the Catholic Church. Saint George's Church, located within Kormakitis was built in 1930. Devoted to the patron saint of the village the Church, construction started in 1900. The designs and plans of the church were prepared by the Maltese
Maltese people
The Maltese are an ethnic group indigenous to the Southern European nation of Malta, and identified with the Maltese language. Malta is an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea...
architect Fenec and the Maltese Civil Engineer Cafiero. The inhabitants of the village offered considerable donations for the construction of the church. The church constituted as the official church of the Maronite Church of Cyprus, prior 1974. Today, Saint George's Church is used by the remaining inhabitants. Many icons and religious items dating from the 12th century are located within the Cathedral.
The Chapel of Saint George, often referred as Chapel of Saint George of the seeds, is a chapel situated near the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, North of Kormakitis. It was built in 1852. Every year, on the 3rd of November, a Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
is celebrated by the Maronite Community dedicated to Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
. This is done to coincide with the start of the agricultural season, the farmers pray to Saint George for a successful harvest. According to the tradition, after Mass, the Maronites have lunch by the sea so as to celebrate Saint George.
The Chapel of the Holy Virgin is a small chapel situated in the west of the village. The chapel was thought to have been built in 1453. Recently renovated it is frequently visited.
The Chapel of Saint George, often referred as Chapel of Saint George of the Nuns, is a chapel situated next to the monastery of the Franciscan sisters, in the center of the village. It was built in 1534 and was the first chapel to be built inside the village. The monastery of the Franciscan sisters was built in 1936, next to the square of the village.
See also
- Cypriot Maronite ArabicCypriot Maronite ArabicCypriot Arabic, known as Cypriot Maronite Arabic, is a variety of Arabic spoken by the Maronite community of Cyprus. Most speakers are situated in the capital, Nicosia, while others are located in Kormakitis and Limassol...
- Maronites in CyprusMaronites in CyprusThe Maronites in Cyprus are members of the Maronite Church whose ancestors migrated from the Levant during the Middle Ages. They traditionally speak their own variety of Arabic in addition to Greek...
- Maronite ChurchMaronite ChurchThe Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See of Rome . It traces its heritage back to the community founded by Maron, a 4th-century Syriac monk venerated as a saint. The first Maronite Patriarch, John Maron, was elected in the late 7th...
- RizokarpasoRizokarpasoRizokarpaso is a town on the Karpass Peninsula in the Famagusta District, northeastern Cyprus. It has been under Turkish control since the 1974 invasion....
External links
- Report on the history of Kormakitis
- Maronite Youth Council in Cyprus, Official Website (In Greek)
- Maronite Youth Council in Cyprus, Official Website (Google translation from Greek to English)
- The Official Kormakitis Webportal for the Maronites of Cyprus (In Greek)
- The Official Kormakitis Webportal for the Maronites of Cyprus (Google translation from Greek to English)