Editing Nicosia (section)

==== Armenian Apostolic Church ====
[[File:Sourp Asdvadzadzin-front.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Armenian Apostolic Church in Nicosia]]
One of the oldest Armenian churches known as the Benedictine Abbey of Our Lady of Tyre, was founded in the 13th century as a principal convent following the fall of Jerusalem. In 1308, the Lusignan king, [[Henry II of Jerusalem]], repaired the church after it was destroyed by an earthquake. As many of the nuns were Armenian in origin, it came under the Armenian Church before 1504.<ref name="Hadjilyras-1">{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/19540738/The-Armenians-of-Cyprus-booklet|title=The Armenians of Cyprus (Booklet) |via=Scribd |last=Hadjilyra|first=Alexander-Michael|date=May 2009|publisher=Kalaydjian Foundation|access-date=16 May 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103031242/https://www.scribd.com/doc/19540738/The-Armenians-of-Cyprus-booklet |archive-date= Nov 3, 2012 }}</ref>
Since 1963, the church has been located in [[North Nicosia]], under Turkish Cypriot administration. The church suffered the collapse of some parts and a great deterioration of condition till 2007, when the restoration work began.<ref name=undpbooklet>{{cite web|last1=Vitti|first1=Paolo|title=The Armenian Church and Monastery Restoration Project|url=http://www.cy.undp.org/content/dam/cyprus/docs/ACT%20Publications/ACM-Book-PRINT-FINAL.pdf|publisher=UNDP|access-date=26 October 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305144230/http://www.cy.undp.org/content/dam/cyprus/docs/ACT%20Publications/ACM-Book-PRINT-FINAL.pdf |archive-date= Mar 5, 2016 }}</ref>
The renovation was completed in 2013<ref>{{cite web|title=Reconciliation through Preservation: Celebrating Restoration of Unique Part of Cyprus' Cultural Heritage|url=http://cyprus.usembassy.gov/pr-usaid_amb_acm_mar14.html|publisher=Nicosia, Cyprus - Embassy of the United States |date=March 19, 2014 |access-date=26 October 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910055253/http://cyprus.usembassy.gov:80/pr-usaid_amb_acm_mar14.html |archive-date= Sep 10, 2015 }}</ref> and won the EU Prize For Cultural Heritage (Europa Nostra Award) in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title=Armenian Church and Monastery in Nicosia |url=http://www.europanostra.org/awards/153/|publisher=Europa Nostra|access-date=26 October 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111313/http://www.europanostra.org/awards/153/ |archive-date= Mar 4, 2016 }}</ref>
With the help of the World Council of Churches, the Church of Westphalia, the Cyprus government and the faithful, a new church was built in Strovolos, also called "Sourp Asdvadzadzin". Its foundation stone was laid on 25 September 1976 by Archbishop Makarios III and Archbishop Nerses Pakhdigian. It was officially inaugurated on 22 November 1981 by Catholicos of Cilicia Khoren I and Coadjutor Catholicos of Cilicia Karekin II, in the presence of Archbishop Chrysostomos I, Bishop Zareh Aznavorian and Representative Dr. Antranik L. Ashdjian.