ABSTRACT
An inquiry into the connections between religion and politics in Cyprus during the Cold War era inevitably brings forth the ‘Cyprus issue’, namely, the Greek-Turkish confrontation over political control of Cyprus. Contrary to simplistic impressions, the Orthodox Church of Cyprus (OCC) is not inherently implicated in the political rivalry between the island’s two principal communities. In contrast, its intertwining with the forces of nationalism has been detrimental to its ability to govern its faithful. This does not imply that the OCC has not been an influential factor in politics as such. Because of the Church’s crucial role in the constitution of the Greek Cypriot political body, Cyprus’s post-1941 Communist Left was forced into an unconventional relationship of coexistence with Orthodox Christianity, effectively diminishing its ability to criticize the Church.
