Pray for Cyprus

In the Book of Acts, Cyprus marks the place where the early Church first expanded beyond the mainland, and Barnabas, one of the earliest Christian missionaries, was a native Cypriot. Nicosia, the nation’s capital, is the last divided capital in the world, cut between the north and south of this island in the Mediterranean Sea. For three millennia, Cyprus endured a long series of occupations, including the Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Venetians, Ottomans, and British. Its strategic location at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa made it a prized possession for world powers, and foreign influence, particularly British colonial tactics, deepened internal ethnic rivalries. These tensions culminated in a violent conflict in 1974 between Greeks and Turks, leaving a permanent scar in the form of a UN-patrolled buffer zone slicing directly through the capital.

More than fifty years after the Turkish invasion, Cypriots still live with the fallout of lost family homes and unresolved property claims. Today, the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus governs the south, while the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus — recognized only by Turkey — encompasses the northern third. This division is physically enforced by the United Nations “Green Line,” a demilitarized buffer zone marked by sandbags, barbed wire, and concrete barricades that cut directly through street corners and abandoned buildings in central Nicosia. Cyprus’s political division complicates border management as increasing numbers of migrants and asylum seekers arrive from nearby conflict-affected regions. Rapid migration strains housing supplies, overwhelms asylum processing offices, and leaves low-wage migrant workers vulnerable to labor exploitation and human trafficking.

The Orthodox Church is a key element of Greek Cypriot culture and identity. While a majority of people consider themselves Orthodox, church participation is declining among younger generations and is increasingly concentrated among older believers. Historical hostility toward Protestants is fading, but deep-seated prejudices still lead many locals to view non-Orthodox churches as foreign sects or cults. Outreach efforts have led to growth among minority communities, including Russians, Sri Lankans, Filipinos, and Iranians, though religious minorities may face social pressure or scrutiny when engaging in evangelism. Small numbers of Turkish Cypriots, over 99 percent of whom are Muslim, have become followers of Jesus.