Holy Monastery of Prophet Elias in Cyprus Savagely Bombed by Turkish Air Force
The Monastery of the Prophet Elias of Maronite Monks, situated near the village of Ayia Marina Skyllouras, in the Nicosia district in Cyprus, was bombed during the second phase of the Turkish invasion. The Turkish air force savagely attacked the religious building which caught fire and was badly damaged.
The Church and Monastery were both looted and desecrated. The monastery, that used to be a philanthropic centre, is in a very poor condition –it functions like a pen for animals- and is in urgent need of restoration. The occupying regime’s attempt to erase the peoples’ Greek and Christian past from occupied Cyprus unfortunately still continues today. This fact is proved by the prohibition to celebrate a Holy Mass in Prophet Elias monastery. A mass takes place once a year on the occasion of the patron saint, but only under a specific permit.
Sources:
http://www.churchofcyprus.org.cy/index.php
http://www.moi.gov.cy/moi/pio/pio.nsf/All/B9BE36B80832A97CC225759400247A9C/$file/The%20loss%20of%20a%20civilisation,%20Destruction%20of%20Cultural%20Heritage%20in%20Occupied%20Cyprus%20%282.17%20MB,%202010%29.pdf