LAST DAYS IN LARNAKA.
In my eagerness to obtain all possible information, concerning the
manners and customs of the people, I had often to encounter much
disappointment. Imagine my disgust upon one occasion, when, having
heard that a very rare and charming performance was about to take
place, and having hurried to the spot indicated, a little coffee-house,
I found the anticipated treat was nothing more nor less than the clumsy
antics of a half-naked negress, probably a new arrival from Egypt,
who was performing one of the hideous dances of which I had already
seen too much. A few Turks sat around, watching her contortions and
tremblings with unruffled dignity, and amongst the spectators I noticed
some really respectable-looking Greeks. I speedily left the assembly,
and reflected as I retired, as to whether this species of dance, might
not have been the very kind performed, but in more graceful fashion,
by the worshippers of Aphrodite, in the sacred groves that surrounded
her temples. The next day was the feast of St. George the Martyr, which
is regarded as a political as well as a religious celebration by the
numerous Grecians in the island. This day is chosen as being the fête
of King George of Greece, who they still regard as their lawful head.
It cannot but be regarded as a most strange coincidence, that the
tutelar saint of England and her new possession, should be one and
the same. St. George was regarded by several Eastern nations as their
patron, and ancient Byzantine historians relate accounts of many
battles gained, and miracles wrought, by his intercession. Among other
churches, five or six were dedicated to him at Constantinople. He was
also celebrated in France in the sixth century, and is said to have
been chosen as the patron saint of England under her Norman kings. St.
George of Cappodocia, “Martyr and Victor,” as he is sometimes styled,
one of the seven champions of Christendom, was, no doubt, brought into
connection with Cyprus, under the influence of Richard and his knights.
The legend of the saint is as follows: St. George, who was born in
Cappadocia, went with his mother to Palestine, of which country she
was a native, and where she had considerable estates. These fell to
her son, who was a soldier, and became a tribune, and was further
promoted by the Emperor Diocletian, to whom, however, he resigned his
commission when that emperor made war against the Christian religion.
He was thrown into prison for remonstrating against bloody edicts, and
was afterwards beheaded at Nicomedia. St. George became the patron of
the soldiers who fought for the faith, and his apparition is said to
have encouraged the Christian army in the Holy War, before the battle
of Antioch, which proved fortunate under Godfrey of Bouillon, and he is
also said to have appeared and inspirited Richard Cœur de Lion, in his
expedition against the Saracens. St. George is usually represented in
pictures as on horseback, slaying a dragon; but this is no more than
an emblematical figure, purporting that by his faith and Christian
fortitude, he had overcome the devil.
The great majority of the population of Larnaka, as of the rest of the
island, are members of the Greek Church.
The chief points of difference between the Greek Church and that of
Rome, are the following:
The Greek Church does not admit: First. The supremacy of Rome.
Secondly. The Filioque clause in the creed.
Thirdly. The enforced celibacy of the parochial clergy (the reason
of this being that although the monastic system had begun before the
schism, the celibacy of the regular clergy had not been enforced till a
later period, and this was adopted by the Greek Church).
Fourthly. The doctrine of transubstantiation, in the Papal sense of
that term, is not held by the Greek Church; (Rome itself did not adopt
this strange tenet till the Council of Lateran in 1215).
Fifthly. The dogmas of purgatory and penance, as taught by Rome, are
not held by the Greek Church, yet some of their views bear a close
resemblance to the papal theories on these points.
Sixthly. The Greek Church disagrees with that of Rome about the use
of leaven in the Eucharist. In almost all other respects there is
little difference between the churches. The Greek Church is thoroughly
hierarchical, holds the monastic system, worships pictures (although it
rejects the worship of images), and gives to the Virgin Mary as high a
degree of worship as even Rome can do; its theory of the Panagia being
scarcely distinguishable from that of the Immaculate Conception.
The officiating clergy of the Greek Church are the patriarch,
archbishops, and bishops; subordinate to these are the papades or
parish priests. All the dignitaries are taken from among the caloyers
or monastic orders, and are not allowed to marry, but the papades may
be married, with these special limitations: That they are married
previous to their consecration, and may not marry a second time,
should they become widowers. Hence they are commonly married before
taking orders, and invariably select young and healthy women for their
wives. The revenues of the dignitaries are raised by a tax imposed
on each family, while the parish priests are supported, chiefly by
means of what they can obtain from the superstitions of the people,
and perquisites of office, such as money paid for absolutions,
benedictions, exorcism, ceremonial sanctifying of water, sprinklings
of streets and tombs, granting divorces, and innumerable ritualistic
observances. They are almost universally a base and degraded class,
themselves extremely ignorant, and they keep the people in equal
degradation and ignorance, partly because such is their own state,
and partly that they may secure their own influence. Their places of
worship are built generally in form of a cross. The choir is always
placed towards the east, and the people turn their faces in that
direction when they pray. Their public religious service is liturgical,
and exceedingly protracted. They have four liturgies, and the service
consists chiefly of prayers, hymns, recitations, chants, and frequent
crossings, with such numerous repetitions that it often occupies five
or six hours, without any sermon.
During this long service, the people stand, leaning on the supports of
the few seats in the church, or on a kind of crutches, provided for
the purpose. No images are allowed within their churches, but they are
plentifully decorated with rough and glaring paintings; the more rough
and glaring these are, the higher they stand in the estimation of the
worshippers. Their music is without any aid from instruments, and is
chiefly a kind of chanting, but it is said to be often beautiful and
touchingly plaintive, although monotonous. The vestments of the clergy
are very varied in form, often of fine texture, gorgeous in colour, and
ornamented with jewellery of great value. Each of these vestments has
its mystic meaning and virtue, to which great importance is attached.
The worship of saints, angels, and the Virgin Mary, is carried to as
great an excess as it can be at Rome, and it is long since the Greek
Church held, that “the Mother of God” as they term her, “was without
original.” It may be said, indeed, that the _Panagia_, or Holy Virgin,
is the peculiar deity of the Greeks, as much as ever Pallas Athene was
of the ancient Athenians. Everywhere, in church, palace, or cottage,
a little coarse picture intended to represent the Holy Virgin, may be
seen, often with a lamp burning before it, as the object of special
adoration.
Being desirous of seeing something of the festivities of the Cypriotes
on their fête day, I walked out to a church about half a league from
the “Marina,” and in spite of the scenery around me, could have fancied
I was again witnessing one of the annual markets, I had seen as a boy
in my native land. Around and about the church, booths were ranged,
and peasants were wandering around, chatting and eagerly driving
bargains, under an impression very prevalent amongst them, that there
will not be the usual deceit and roguery so near a house of God. Bells
were pealing, and horses and asses neighing and winnying, as their
owners, dressed in their Sunday best, galloped about in all directions.
All those of the better class who appeared on the occasion, were
also mounted, the elders looking on in stately dignity, whilst the
youngsters galloped hither and thither like the wind.
In such a gathering as this in Central Europe, one would, no doubt,
see many more powerful men, and more blooming girls, than are to be
met with under similar circumstances in Cyprus. And as I gazed at the
crowds before me, I could not help again noticing the strange blending
of Syrian and Grecian types, in the faces and figures, whilst the
dress of most was a curious mixture of European, Grecian, and Turkish
fashions. Many of the girls were remarkably beautiful, with magnificent
large flashing eyes; in most cases their eyebrows were blackened, and
their hair, mixed with false, was piled high on the head. Not a few,
as it appeared to me, had dipped pretty deeply into pots of cosmetics,
for the use and compounding of which the fair Cypriotes have long been
noted. One fashion pleased me much—namely, the common use of natural
flowers for decorating the head. The very poorest in the crowd wore
some kind of metal ornaments, whilst the wealthier class of women
displayed ear-rings, chains, and medallions of heavy gold. The Cypriote
husband takes great pride in seeing his wife thus decked, not perhaps
so much from sentimental reasons, as because the extent of the show
demonstrates what is the depth of his cash-box, and the chances of his
family in the matter of dowries. For a Cypriote to invest his earnings
in land would, under the late Government, have been an act involving
the utmost risk of capital.
As I returned home on this my last day in Cyprus, I could not but feel
a shade of melancholy stealing over me. The evening was lovely, the
air pure and clear, and the sun as it went down, tipped the purple
mountains with gold, and gave a tinge of bronze to the palms and
cypress trees of Larnaka, as they stood clearly defined against the
evening sky.
When I reached the town, old and young were sitting before the doors of
the Grecian houses, or chatting and laughing with each other in lively
groups about the streets. In the Turkish quarters, on the contrary, not
a living creature was visible, and every house had the appearance of
being a dungeon. Yet, as I have before said, could I have looked within
the high walls, I should probably have seen the entire family enjoying
the fragrant coolness of their gardens.
Next day, I bade farewell to this lovely island, which still lay bound
hand and foot, in the power of her negligent and cruel masters, and
entirely unconscious of the great and important change that would
shortly burst her bonds.
May we not trust that under British rule, her barren wastes and plains
may once more speedily become fruitful fields, and her people again
reap the blessings and benefits of a pure Christian Church, and a
paternal Government.