Cyprus, one of the largest islands of the Mediterranean is a land of great historical importance and rich culture that counts 10,000 years. Prehistorically, Mycenaean Greeks inhabited the island, establishing their civilization and instilling the island’s Greek roots. Many other cultures followed thereafter, including Phoenicians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Romans, Franks, Venetians, Ottomans and British, who all left behind visible remnants of their passage, and have thus created a mosaic of different cultures and periods. Situated at the crossroads of three continents - Europe, Asia and Africa - the island’s unique geographic position has played an important role in its turbulent past since antiquity, making it one of the oldest civilizations in the Mediterranean.

Cyprus, was the "Chittim" (or Kittim, the name of a branch of the descendants of Javan, the son of Japheth) of the Old Testament (Num. 24:24) Thearrival of Christianity to the island took place in the 1st century and the commitment to the new religion was strong in Cyprus from the beginning. It is first mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 4:36) as the native place of Barnabas. Cyprus was the scene of Paul's first missionary (13:4-13), when he, Barnabas and John Mark were sent forth by the church of Antioch. Afterwards the island was visited by Barnabas and Mark alone (15:39) while nn 478AD the remains of St. Barnabas with the Gospel of St. Matthew was found in the necropolis of Salamis. Cave churches and catacombs, found all around Cyprus, martyr the Great Christian community across the island.