The Armenian Prelacy of Cyprus was established by Catholicos Khatchig I in Nicosia in 973 and ever since it has maintained a continuous presence on the island. In fact, Cyprus is the oldest prelacy falling under the Catholicosate of Cilicia. Historically, the prelacy has been under the jurisdiction of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, although at times it fell under the Patriarchates of Constantinople and Jerusalem (the periods between 1759-1837 and 1848-1924).

The prelacy has its premises (Nicosia: 1984). Its consistory houses a collection of ecclesiastical relics, some of which were previously kept in the old Virgin Mary cathedral in Nicosia or the Magaravank. Its basement houses the multifunctional “Vahram Utidjian” Hall (1998).

There are three main churches: the Virgin Mary cathedral (Nicosia: 1976-1981), and the churches of Saint Stephen (Larnaca: 1909-1913) and Saint George (Limassol: 1939-1940). Also in Nicosia are the chapels of Saint Paul (1892), the Holy Resurrection (1938), and the Holy Saviour of All (1995-1996).

In the occupied areas, there is the Gothic cathedral of the Virgin Mary (Nicosia: 1308-1310), the Virgin Mary of Ganchvor church (Famagusta: 1346) and the well-known Saint Makarios Monastery or Magaravank (Halevga: c. 1000).

Armenian schools have been operating in Nicosia since 1870, in Larnaca since 1909 and in Limassol since 1928. As of 1972, these Elementary Schools are called “Nareg”, in memory of Saint Gregory of Nareg. Their present premises were built as follows: Nicosia: 1971-1972, Larnaca: 1993-1995 and Limassol: 2006-2007, all of them adjacent to the local churches.

Due to the closure of the renowned Melkonian Educational Institute in 2005, the Nareg School was established in Nicosia.

In 2013 the “Nanor” Armenian Childcare Centre was established next to the Nicosia Nareg School by Representative Vartkes Mahdessian, catering for infants and children aged 4 montհs-3 years olds.

Despite its small size, the community has many monuments in Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, and Halevga. Amongst them are the Armenian Genocide Monuments in Nicosia (1991) and Larnaca (2008), the Melkonian Brothers’ Mausoleum (1956), and Abbot Mekhitar’s Monument (1931).

There are three cemeteries in Nicosia (established c. 1810, 1931, and 1998, the oldest one unused since 1931), one in Larnaca (in use since 1923), and one in Limassol (in use since 1960). The Armenian cemetery of Famagusta (established in 1967) has been occupied since 1974.