Cyprus Church thanks Boy George for icon's return
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - January 20, 2011
Boy George agreed to return the 18th century icon he bought from
a London art dealer in 1985 after being presented with proof of its
true origin, the church said in a statement posted on its Web site.
"Before this, I had no idea who Boy George was,"
Brussels-based Bishop Porfyrios who led efforts for the icon's
recovery told The Associated Press. "He was positive about
returning the icon."
The church said it was alerted about the icon's whereabouts by
an informer who saw the singer with it on a Dutch TV show last
November.
Boy George, who said he was unaware of the icon's history when
he bought it, personally handed the icon over to Bishop Porfyrios
in London on Tuesday. In return, the bishop gave him a modern icon
of Christ as a token of gratitude and "with the wish that others
soon follow his example."
The church statement said Boy George expressed hope that the
icon would soon be returned to the church of Saint Charalambos in
the village of Neo Chorio Kythreas from where it was taken. The
icon is now in Brussels and will return to the island later.
The church says scores of religious artifacts, including icons
and mosaics, were looted from Greek Cypriot churches in the Turkish
Cypriot north after Turkey's 1974 invasion, which followed a failed
coup by supporters of union with Greece.
Many have since appeared on the international art market and the
Cyprus Church has been actively seeking to repatriate them. Its
biggest success was the recovery of several priceless 6th century
mosaics.
The Church filed a lawsuit against Turkey in a European court in
2009 for allegedly preventing worship at religious sites in the
north.
Christianity in Cyprus stretches to the faith's earliest years.
The Apostle Paul is said to have preached the gospel in Cyprus in
A.D. 45 and converted the island's Roman governor Sergius Paulus -
the first Roman official to undergo conversion.