A 500-year-old Orthodox icon that was looted from a church in the breakaway north of ethnically divided Cyprus has been returned to the island.
The icon of the Enthroned Christ, which Cyprus’ Antiquities Department dates to around the end of the 15th century to the early 16th century, was presented at a ceremony Tuesday to the head of the island’s Orthodox Church, Archbishop Chrysostomos.
The Cyprus Church traced the icon to an auction in Switzerland, and Swiss police seized it in 2014. Following a long legal process, Swiss authorities handed the icon over last week and it was flown to Cyprus.
Thechurch said the returned icon would be held by the archbishopric “untilit returns to its rightful place” in the Antiphonitis Church.
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A 500-year-old Orthodox icon that was looted from a church in the breakaway north of ethnically divided Cyprus has been returned to the island.
The icon of the Enthroned Christ, which Cyprus’ Antiquities Department dates to around the end of the 15th century to the early 16th century, was presented at a ceremony Tuesday to the head of the island’s Orthodox Church, Archbishop Chrysostomos.
The Cyprus Church traced the icon to an auction in Switzerland, and Swiss police seized it in 2014. Following a long legal process, Swiss authorities handed the icon over last week and it was flown to Cyprus.
Thechurch said the returned icon would be held by the archbishopric “untilit returns to its rightful place” in the Antiphonitis Church.
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