Ethno-Religious Coexistence and Plurality in Cyprus under British Rule (1878—1960)

Abstract

The island of Cyprus is, historically speaking, quite diverse and plural in religious terms. Due to its strategic geographical position in the Eastern Mediterranean and its occupation by several rulers, it is not accidental that various ethno-religious communities (Byzantine and Greek Orthodox, Maronites, Roman Catholics, Muslims, Armenians, Anglicans, Jews) settled at various periods in Cyprus and sometimes acquired firm footholds. This very fact poses the question about their coexistence with the dominant religious institution of the island, namely the Orthodox Church. The authors will assess this issue while specifically taking into consideration the situation under British rule. They look first at the plural religious field in Cyprus and its maintenance, drawing on theoretical as well as historical sources. Second, they focus on the multifaceted factors that substantially affected religious coexistence and tolerance under British rule, including the development of a religiously motivated nationalism among Greek Cypriots. Finally, they explore the role of the Orthodox Church as a factor in both peace and conflict during this period, and its relationship to the religious and cultural plurality on the island.