PAPHOS, Cyprus — Greek Cypriot leaders made a blistering attack on Turkey for its occupation of northern Cyprus as Pope Benedict XVI began a pilgrimage to the divided island Friday, bringing a message of peace.
Addressing Benedict, the head of Cyprus’ Orthodox Church, Archbishop Chrysostomos II, said, “Turkey has barbarously invaded and conquered by force of arms 37 percent of our homeland.”
Chrysostomos said Turkey “continues to carry out its obscure plans, which include the annexation of the land now under military occupation, and then a conquest of the whole of Cyprus.”
His comments came as Benedict began a sensitive three-day day visit to Cyprus, an island divided between ethnic Turks and Greeks and viewed by the Vatican as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East.
Chrysostomos also said the Turks “ruthlessly sacked” Christian artworks, saying they were seeking to make Greek and Christian culture disappear from the north. He urged the pope’s help to ensure protection of the sacred Christian monuments and in the struggle against the Turks.
The pope did not respond to the archbishop’s remarks. Instead, in his comments at a site where St. Paul is said to have preached in the 1st century and to have been whipped by Roman soldiers, Benedict spoke of the cooperation between Catholics and Orthodox Christians.
Asked the pope’s reaction to the speech, Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said Benedict had not come to Cyprus to take political positions.
The spokesman also said that although Benedict has no plans to visit the Turkish-occupied north, he might meet with a Muslim delegation before he departs for Rome on Sunday.
Cyprus was ethnically split in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece.
