# Restoration of the Orthodox Church (1571)

URL: https://allhistories.com/cyprus/timeline/1571-restoration-of-the-orthodox-church
Location: Nicosia / Lefkoşa, Cyprus
Themes: Key Events

Under Lusignan and Venetian rule the Orthodox Church of Cyprus had been subordinated to the Latin (Catholic) hierarchy: the number of Orthodox bishops was reduced, and they were placed under Latin bishops. Many Greek Cypriots resented these restrictions, and some contemporaries believed parts of the population viewed the Ottoman arrival as relief from Latin domination. After the conquest the Ottomans suppressed the Latin Church, expelled Catholic clergy and converted the main Latin cathedrals into mosques. The Orthodox Church was recognised and its archbishopric restored, with the archbishop and bishops allowed to administer the Christian community's religious affairs. Under the Ottoman millet system, which organised subjects by religious community, the Orthodox clergy acquired an important administrative role, including in the collection of taxes from Christians. The restoration laid the foundations for the growing political authority of the Archbishop of Cyprus, who in later centuries came to be recognised as the representative of the Greek Orthodox population before the Ottoman authorities. The Maronite and Armenian communities also continued under their own religious leaders.

## Why it matters
The Ottoman settlement made the Orthodox Church the central institution of Greek Cypriot community life for the next four centuries.

Ruler at the Time: [Selim II](https://allhistories.com/cyprus/rulers/selim-ii)

Doge of Venice: Alvise I Mocenigo
Beylerbey of the Eyalet of Cyprus: Lala Mustafa Pasha

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Church of Cyprus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Cyprus)
- [Wikipedia — Ottoman Cyprus (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Cyprus)