cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第80部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


there　is　a　decided　difference　between　the　monks　of　these　establishments
and　the　general　priesthood。　The　monks　are　supposed　to　devote　their　lives
to　charitable　objects；　they　are　not　allowed　to　marry；　and　they　have　a
superior　education；　as　all　can　read　and　write。　On　the　other　hand；　the
priests　are　grossly　ignorant；　and　it　is　computed　that　only　a　quarter　of
their　number　could　even　write　their　own　names。　These　are　allowed　to
marry　one　wife；　but　they　cannot　re…marry　in　the　event　of　her　decease；
they　are　generally　poor　to　a　superlative　degree；　and　are　frequently
obliged　to　work　for　hire　like　common　labourers。　Should　a　man　desire　to
become　a　priest；　it　is　only　necessary　that　he　should　be　recommended　by
the　inhabitants　of　his　village　as　a　person　of　good　reputation　that　would
be　suitable　for　the　office：　he　is　then　ordained　by　the　bishop　upon
payment　of　a　fee　of　about　one　hundred　piastres　（or　150）；　and　he　is　at
once　at　liberty　to　enter　upon　his　duties。　These　ordination　fees　are　a
temptation　to　the　bishops　to　increase　the　number　of　priests　to　an
unlimited　extent；　and　the　result　is　seen　throughout　Cyprus　in　a　large
and　superfluous　body　of　the　most　ignorant　people；　totally　unfitted　for
their　position。

The　monasteries　vary　in　their　revenues；　as　they　have　derived　their
possessions　at　different　periods　from　grants　of　land；　or　private　gifts；
or　legacies。　In　like　manner　with　the　bishops；　although　they　cannot
legally　compel　the　villagers　to　pay　according　to　their　demands；　they
assumed　a　power　which　by　long　sufferance　had　become　recognised　by　the
ignorant　peasantry；　who　reluctantly　acceded　to　their　claims。　I　have
myself　witnessed　an　altercation　between　the　monks　and　shepherds　on　the
mountains　upon　a　question　of　cheeses　and　goats；　which　the　former　claimed
as　annually　due　to　the　monastery；　it　appeared　that　prior　to　the　British
occupation　they　had　been　able　by　threats　to　extort　this　demand；　but　the
shepherds　had　now　determined　to　free　themselves　from　all　payments　beyond
those　which　the　law　compelled；　and　they　resisted　the　priestly　authority；
before　which　they　had　hitherto　remained　as　slaves。　This　spirit　of
independence　that　has　been　so　quickly　developed　by　the　equity　of　British
rule　will　probably　extend；　and　may　seriously　interfere　with　the　revenues
of　the　Church；　should　the　population　determine　to　abide　by　their　legal
status　and　refuse　the　ordinary　fees。　It　cannot　be　expected　that　either
bishops；　monks；　or　priests　regard　this　change　with　satisfaction；　and　in
their　hearts　they　may　sigh　for　the　good　old　times　of　a　Turkish
administration；　when　the　Greek　Church　of　Cyprus　was　an　imperium　in
imperio　that　could　sway　both　the　minds　and　purses　of　the　multitude；
untouched　by　laws　or　equity；　and　morally　supported　by　the　government。

The　most　important　monastery　in　the　island　is　that　of　Kykou；　this　is
situated　upon　the　mountains　at　an　elevation　of　3800　feet　above　the　sea；
and　it　comprises　an　establishment　of　sixty　monks；　with　a　gross　revenue
from　various　properties　in　different　portions　of　the　country　estimated
together　with　donations　at　about　？000　per　annum。　The　monastery　of
Mahera　estimates　its　revenue　at　？000；　that　of　Fameromeni　at　Nicosia；　at
？000　without　any　expenditure；　as　the　three　monks；　together　with　one
servant；　are　paid　by　the　extra　incomes　of　the　Church。　There　are　many
monasteries　throughout　the　island；　and　all　with　the　exception　of　Kykou
and　St。　Andrea；　at　the　eastern　point　of　Cyprus；　pay　a　certain　portion　of
their　revenue　to　the　bishop　of　the　diocese。　The　two　monasteries　I　have
excepted　are　perfectly　independent　of　all　ecclesiastical　control　in
revenue　and　finance。　Considerable　caution　will　be　necessary　in　arranging
the　land　question　with　these　numerous　establishments；　which　have
hitherto　enjoyed　a　peculiar　independence。　Up　to　the　present　time　the
income　of　the　bishops　has　been　derived　from　the　annual　payments　from
monasteries；　by　the　canonical　tax　paid　by　every　church；　from　the　alms
（Zitia）；　which　is　a　tax　levied　upon　all　crops；　from　the　dish　exposed　for
offerings　in　church　while　they　officiate；　and　from　various　ordination
fees　and　marriage　licences。　From　the　inquiries　I　made　in　various
dependable　quarters；　the　bishops　are　not　generally　beloved　either　by　the
monks；　priests；　or　public；　but　this　absence　of　appreciation　may　be　due
to　the　continual　demands　upon　the　funds　of　monasteries　and　the　pockets
of　the　peasantry；　more　than　to　any　personal　peculiarities　of　character。
There　are　stories　of　neglect　of　duty　and　misappropriation　of　funds
intended　for　charitable　purposes；　which　I　should　decline　to　believe
possible　among　ecclesiastics　of　such　devout　principles　and　high
position。　The　Archbishop　is　much　beloved；　and　is　loudly　praised　by　all
classes　of　the　inhabitants；　to　whom　he　owes　his　election　as　supreme　head
of　the　Church　after　the　following　manner：…

In　the　event　of　death；　the　vacant　see　of　Cyprus　is　represented　by　the
Bishop　of　Baffo；　and　the　new　archbishop　must　be　elected　by　the　people。
The　bishop　occupies　the　position　of　president　of　an　ecclesiastical
council；　to　which　representatives　are　sent　from　every　district；　charged
with　the　votes　of　the　inhabitants　in　favour　of　the　archbishop。　Upon　his
election；　the　approval　and　confirmation　of　his　appointment　must　be
obtained　by　an　imperial　decree　before　the　archbishop　can　officiate。　In
the　same　manner　every　bishop　is　elected　by　the　people　of　the　district；
and　their　representatives　are　sent　to　Nicosia；　where　the　archbishop
presides　over　his　council；　or　court；　but　the　new　bishop　must　also　be
confirmed　in　his　position　by　an　imperial　decree。

Should　an　archbishop　be　guilty　of　any　crime；　either　civil　or
ecclesiastical；　he　may　be　deposed　by　the　head　of　the　Church　at
Constantinople；　acting　in　conjunction　with　the　Turkish　government；　at
the　request　of　the　inhabitants　of　Cyprus。

Bishops　may　be　deposed　by　the　archbishop；　who　would　in　such　a　case
assemble　the　Synod；　composed　of　the　heads　of　clergy　in　his　presidency。
Before　this　tribunal　a　bishop　would　be　summoned　to　appear　in　case　of　an
accusation；　and　the　trial　would　take　place　in　open　court；　the　power　of
punishment　or　absolution　remaining　in　the　hands　of　the　archbishop。

The　Turkish　government　appears　to　have　held　a　peculiar　position　in
relation　to　the　Greek　Church　in　Cyprus；　as；　although　acting　in
conjunction　and　in　harmony　with　the　customs　of　the　inhabitants；　it
reserved　the　right　of　supreme　authority　in　special　cases；　thus　at
various　epochs　the　Turkish　government　deposed　the　Archbishops
Chrissanthon　and　Panareton；　hanged　the　Archbishop　Kipriano；　and　banished
the　Archbishops　Joachim　and　Damaskino。

From　the　universal　complaints；　there　can　be　little　doubt　that　the
schools　that　should　be　established　from　funds　specially　invested　for
that　purpose　in　the　hands　of　certain　monasteries；　bishops；　&c。；　are
grossly　neglected；　and　it　has　already　been　suggested　that　a　commission
should　be　instituted　by　the　British　authorities；　under　the　presidency　of
the　archbishop；　for　a　rigid　investigation　of　the　resources　of　all
monasteries　and　the　ACTUAL　revenue　of　bishoprics；　together　with　the
disbursement　of　all　sums　that　should　have　been　expended　either　for
education　or　for　charitable　purposes。

The　tithes　exacted　by　the　bishops　from　the　peasantry　add　seriously　to
the　imposts　of　ordinary　taxation；　and　there　is　every　probability　of　a
reform　being　demanded　by　the　inhabitants　at　the　hands　of　the　British
administration。　When　under　Turkish　rule；　the　Greek　Church　enjoyed　not
only　perfect　freedom；　but　an　immunity　from　taxation；　as；　although　they
were　legally　liable；　the　law　was　never　enforced　upon　the　clergy。　The
English　government　has　determined　upon　the　observance　of　all　laws　by　all
classes；　and　the　Church　has　awakened　to　the　fact　that　there　is　no
exception。

〃From　the　earliest　times　the　Greek　Church　of　Cyprus　has　enjoyed　an
especial　degree　of　independence；　in　the　reign　of　the　Emperor　Zeno；　A。D。
473；　exceptional　privileges　were　conceded　to　the　Archbishop　of　Cyprus；
who；　although　he　owns　the　supremacy　of　the　Patriarch　of　Constantinople
over　the　orthodox　Greek　Church；　claims　to　be　entirely　independent　of　him
as　regards　Church　discipline；　he　wears　purple；　carries　a　gold…headed
sceptre；　has　the　title　of　Beatitude；　signs　in　red　as　the　Greek　Emperors
were　wont　to　do；　and　uses　a　seal　bearing　a　two…headed　imperial　eagle。　It
is　said　that　these　dignities　were　conferred　in　consequence　of　the
fortunate　discovery　at　Salamis　of　the　body　of　St。　Barnabas；　with　a　copy
of　the　Gospel　of　St。　Matthew；　which　precious　relic　was　sent　to
Constantinople；　and　in　return　the　Emperor　confirmed　the　Church　of　Cyprus
in　its　absolute　independence；　and　gave　the　archbishop　the　above
privileges。〃*　（*Savile's　Cyprus；　p。　142。）

St。　Paul　and　St。　Barnabas　visited　the　island　A。D。　45；　and　the　conversion
of　Sergius　Paulus；　the　proconsul　at　Paphos；　by　their　preaching；　was　the
first　seed　of　Christianity　implanted　in　Cyprus　at　the　period　when　the
inhabitants　were　steeped　in　heathenism；　but　some　of　the　superstitions　at
present　existing　are　hardly　less　degrading　than　pagan　rites；　and　in　the
kissing　of　the　Virgin's　cave　at　Trooditissa　for　the　purpose　already
described；　we　can　trace　an　affinity　with　the