Church files ‘go missing’

A FILE containing copies of marriage certificates for weddings at Girne’s St Andrew’s Church has “gone missing” from the vestry, and may have been stolen.

The disappearance emerged when requests were sent out by the Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf staff in the South asking people to send copies of their marriage certificates for their records.

The request prompted fears to be voiced about the legality of the ceremonies, but Church officials told Cyprus Today: “There is no need for concern”.

Bayrak International Radio presenter Denise Phillips was contacted for a copy of the paperwork from her daughter Courtney’s September 2016 wedding.

Courtney and husband Otto Muskens had “fulfilled all requirements in the North and South”, said Ms Phillips, but Anglican weddings officer Patricia Baulch at the South Nicosia office had now asked for the documents because of “moving office”.

“Now no-one has a copy in the North or the South,” she said.

Ms Phillips added that her daughter had contacted the Church of England in the UK for clarification, after initially receiving no response from local Church authorities. St Andrew’s chaplain Rev Wendy Hough confirmed the loss of the file, saying: “When we first could not find it, we certainly never jumped to the conclusion that an administrative file would be stolen.”

Ms Hough said she had noticed the file was missing last autumn when she searched for it before a meeting with church officials in the South, and initially thought it may have been put elsewhere in the vestry by a colleague. When it did not turn up, she called police, but they were reluctant to accede to her request to search the premises, as they regarded the issue as “internal”.

Police told Cyprus Today no formal complaint had been lodged, so no investigation was launched.

Ms Hough added: “The issue of the missing file has been aired at several church council meetings, and minuted. All council minutes are made available in the church hall as soon as they are approved. There was and is no need to unsettle anyone, but if anyone does have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.”

Archdeacon of Cyprus John Holdsworth said: “There is no need for any person whose details are in the file to be concerned. The loss of the file does not in any way affect the legality of the wedding. The missing file has come at a time when we have wanted to review the administration process of marriage registration [and] are moving to a new system.”

He said anyone seeking more information should contact Patricia Baulch on weddings@spidernet.com.cy or 00357 22 671220.