Archbishop Makarios of Australia issued his own message for the 47th Anniversary of the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus.
In his message, the Archbishop referred to “the heavy burden of the blatant injustice that our Cypriot brothers carry in their souls and all the Greek community; those gloomy days of July and August 1974.”
The Archbishop reiterated the support for the Cypriot people and promote their rights. He said: “Our vision of reunification is not going to be dashed. Despite all the obstacles, the struggle for the liberation of occupied Cyprus will not cease to be a sacred duty for all of us.”
Read the full message of Archbishop Makarios of Australia:
Today is another year to the heavy burden of the blatant injustice that our Cypriot brothers carry in their souls and all the Greek community; those gloomy days of July and August 1974.
For another year, the mainland remained divided captured, with more than 36% of its territory under illegal military occupation. Unfortunately, recent initiatives to resume talks to reunite the long-suffering island have stumbled on the other side’s unacceptable new demands.
Nevertheless, our vision of reunification is not going to be dashed. Despite all the obstacles, the struggle for the liberation of occupied Cyprus will not cease to be a sacred duty for all of us.
A sacred duty to the thousands of victims of the Operation Atilla, whose memory we honor today, but also to those who were left behind, that is, to the relatives of the dead and the missing, to those who were violently uprooted from their homes, especially to those future generations of Cypriots, who must live in peace, harmony and reconciliation.
We consistently serve this sacred duty in the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, taking care at every opportunity to promote the rights of the Cypriot people, accompanied by all the Greek Diaspora of Australia, including those coming from Cyprus, as well as by the Church of Cyprus with His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos, with the political authorities of the country and with those who share the vision of healing the wound that Operation Atilla opened 47 years ago.
On the occasion of today’s sad anniversary, we resolutely reaffirm our commitment: We do not forget! We do not give up! We continue with faith in God to claim the only just solution to the Cyprus issue, the reunification of the mainland!