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Question 549

Do the church keep good records in Cyprus of Orthodox marriages? I sent many emails asking questions but I never had a reply as I was struggling to find information on where my ancestors may have worshipped, been buried, been married etc in Lefkara. 

 

Answer to Question 549

It depends on how far back you need to go. Records are kept for baptisms at each local church and at the Metropolitan main offices. Marriage records are only kept at the Metropolitan main offices. Can't say how far back they go. I found my parents 1954 marriage certificate in the records, but can't imagine that records were kept decades before. You will need their names, their parents names, date of birth, (try the district office to see if they have a record of their birth), ID if possible, the year and name of Church where the marriage took place. 

 

Same member

Thank you, that is very helpful. I tried to find details of cemeteries but I couldn't find anything. I didn't know if it was a similar situation to Greece where the graves are only kept for a short period.

 

Reply

In older times graves were lost because wooden crosses marking the graves deteriorated. Today in Cyprus people buy the plot so it remains as a family grave. Greece is a different situation where the graves are leased for a few years and then the bones are dug up and placed in an ossuary

 

Same member

Thank you. My Great Grandparents would have been buried in the 1970's so I am hopeful that I am able to find at least a marker. I worry that with a lot of the family now overseas that a marker would probably be in a state of disrepair. Can permission be obtained to replace markers where needed?

 

Reply

If the grave was paid for then it belongs to the family and can do what they like to replace gravestones and surroundings. If there are no title deeds then the cemetery can reclaim the grave if the family are not prepared to pay for it.