‘New system needed to preserve icons, artefacts’

GREEK Orthodox icons and religious artefacts stored in Girne Castle are generally in a good condition, but a climate-control system is needed to keep them that way, according to members of the bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage who viewed them.

The committee’s Greek Cypriot co-head, Takis Hadjidemetriou, said the artefacts could be affected by both temperature and humidity, and the committee would make it a priority to look into securing funding for a system to ensure they were kept in the appropriate climate.

Speaking after the castle visit last Friday, Mr Hadjidemetriou said the icons would be examined individually to assess the need for any conservation work, but declared: “The icons and artefacts we saw are in good condition.”

However he said the committee had not been able to see all of an estimated 2,000 icons believed to have remained in the North after 1974, and which are now housed around the country.

Asked whether the icons and religious artefacts might be returned to the South’s Orthodox Church, Mr Hadjidemetriou reiterated that this was not part of the committee’s mandate.

Turkish Cypriot Grand Müftü Talip Atalay said last week he supported icons and religious artefacts going back to their “rightful owners”, and that any such return would require a political decision, which he would support.

Dr Atalay expressed his belief that the icons’ “proper storage, maintenance and protection are not only a must but a duty. Religious beliefs and religious places of everyone should be protected irrespective of where they are”.

“Just like we expect the assets that belong to the Muftiate/Evkaf to be properly maintained, protected and preserved by the Greek Cypriot authorities, Turkish Cypriot authorities should do the same to the assets of the Christians of Cyprus,” he said.