Cyprus, Christianity in

Cyprus, Christianity in.

Bishops of Cyprus are for the first time mentioned in the 4th century. Soon Constantia became the seat of a metropolitan, who asserted and maintained his independence of all the patriarchs. At the beginning of the 5th century the patriarch John of Antioch made an effort to have Cyprus incorporated with his patriarchal district, but the OEcumenical Council of Ephesus (431), before which the newly-elected metropolitan Rheginus and two other Cyprian bishops pleaded their right, decided in favor of the independence of Cyprus. Ever since the churches of Cyprus have constituted an independent group of the orthodox Greek Church. —Wetzer und Welte, Kirchen-Lex. 2:964 sq.