BYZANTINE frescoes, dating back to the 13th Century, which had been stolen from the north after 1974, were unveiled yesterday at the Archbishop Makarios III museum in Nicosia.
The frescoes are likely to be officially inaugurated in July when Cyprus assumes the EU presidency, Archbishop Chrysostomos told a news conference yesterday.
The frescoes, stolen from the church of Saint Euphemianos in Lysi arrived home a fortnight ago. They had initially been cut into 38 pieces by thieves intending to sell them on the black market. They were stolen by Turkish art dealer Aydin Dikmen who shipped them to Germany.
The works of art are classified among the characteristic works of Maniera Cypria, the comparative art which was developed in Cyprus under Frankish rule during the 13th Century.
They were acquired by the Houston, Texas-based Menil Foundation on behalf of the Church of Cyprus in 1985 and had been on loan under an agreement which ended in February. They were restored there and housed in a small chapel-museum on the Foundation Premises and opened to the public.
Speaking at the news conference yesterday, Archbishop Chrysostomos said the ultimate goal of the Cyprus Church and the Government was for the frescoes to return to their home, the Saint Euphemianos church in Lysi, where they really belong.
The Archbishop said the Menil Foundation had wanted the frescoes returned to the church immediately but he asked them if they were prepared “to send a company of marines to guard them.”
He said the foundation initially wanted the agreement to be extended, but the Church wanted the frescoes returned to their own country.
“I could not give an extension because it was not a matter for me to say and I insisted that the agreement should be adopted in full,” Chrysostomos said.
He said relations with the foundation were excellent, and in exchange for them looking after the frescoes all these years he offered them five early 20th century icons to display at their museum.
The Archbishop highlighted the close cooperation between Church and state to repatriate the frescoes and the joint effort to recover other artefacts that were stolen.
“We have spent several millions in court cases to discover where all these treasures are, many of which are in private collections,” Chrysostomos said.
According to the Archbishop the inauguration of the hall where the frescoes are now kept will take place in July, when Cyprus assumes the six-month EU rotating presidency.
Yesterday’s event was attended by the minister of foreign affairs and communications along with other officials and a representative of the US embassy.
