Cyprus is an island in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Turkey and Syria that received the gospel through the apostle Paul during his first missionary journey. In 1962 a group of Latter-day Saint families were in Cyprus on U.S. government assignments. They were organized into the Nicosia Branch, which has been dissolved and reorganized several times over the years.
On 15 September 1993, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin dedicated Cyprus for the preaching of the gospel. At that time there were 26 members in the branch. On this occasion Elder Wirthlin prayed: “May these marvelous Saints who are gathered here this morning, who are few in number, be magnified because of their faith, their love, and their obedience to thee. Let them be a catalyst around which strong units of thy Church will be established. Let thy Spirit be poured out upon the inhabitants of this land” (“Elder Wirthlin,” 3).
At the beginning of the year 2000 there were 99 members in three branches on Cyprus. The island is part of the Greece Athens Mission.
[Year-end 2005: Est. population, 780,000; Members, 263; Branches, 4; Percent LDS, .03; or one member in 3,333; Europe Central Area: Greece Athens Mission; Source 2007 Church Almanac.]
SOURCES
“Elder Wirthlin Dedicates the Island of Cyprus for the Preaching of Gospel.” Church News, 27 November 1993, 3.
1999-2000 Church Almanac. Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1998. 308.
DAVID R. CROCKETT
From Arnold K. Garr, Donald Q. Cannon, and Richard O. Cowan, eds., Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2000), 268-69. Used with the permission of the Deseret Book Company. Copies prohibited by law.