Grand Lodge of Cyprus Celebrates 10th Anniversary 10/29

The Famagusta Gate on the island nation of Cyprus

The Grand Lodge of Cyprus will celebrate its 10th anniversary on October 29th in Nicosia. 

According to the Masonic Press Agency website today:

Cypriot ties with Freemasonry dates back more than two centuries. The first documents are found Larnaca, the main port on the island at the time. The first Masonic Lodge in Cyprus was founded in the jurisdiction of the United Grand Lodge of England. Cypriot Lodges are currently working in Greek, English, German and Italian. 

The Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Cyprus is Most Worshipful Petros S. Machalepis. The Masonic Ceremony will take place at Famagusta Gate, built in 1567 by the Venetians.  

Map from Maphill

From the Wikipedia entry about the GL of Cyprus:

There are three recognized jurisdictions or organizing units of freemasons in Cyprus, each holding authority over its respective lodges.

Grand Lodge of Cyprus is a sovereign grand lodge, derived from originally Greek chartered lodges but which now works in at least four languages, including Greek, English, German and Italian.

Another group, the District Grand Lodge of Cyprus, is a unit of the United Grand Lodge of England, subordinate to that external jurisdiction, and operating in English to serve mainly British citizens living on military bases or elsewhere on the island: Cyprus is a Commonwealth nation, and favored Mediterranean holiday destination for citizens of the UK.

The third group is the lodges that operate under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Turkey at the northern part of the island. While the Grand Lodge of Turkey and the Grand Lodge of Cyprus are not in mutual recognition, the United Grand Lodge of England is in amity with both grand lodges, permitting intervisitation and plural membership.

[snip] 

The Grand Lodge of Cyprus shares control, or jurisdiction over Masonic activity in the south of the island due to the historical and continuing presence of the United Grand Lodge of England’s District Grand Lodge of Cyprus, which serves Freemasons from the UK’s twin military bases on Cyprus and other British citizens and English speakers residing there. In the north Cyprus only three lodges with charters granted by the Grand Lodge of Turkey operate. A treaty of full amity was reached with the UGLE, defining terms of mutual recognition, free intervisitation and good will as ratified by the UGLE on June 6, 2010.

Now widely recognized among international Freemasonry, the Grand Lodge of Cyprus holds mutual recognition treaties with 140 of the world's Masonic grand jurisdictions, as of the end of 2012.Such agreements exist in the form of letters or patents that proclaim that, as of a certain date, freemasons from one jurisdiction may visit and attend lodge meetings or other Masonic functions in another. These agreements are reciprocal, and foster the cherished Masonic principle of intervisitation.

The complex story of how the widespread recognition and the unique agreement among Masonic bodies on Cyprus was finally achieved can be found HERE. 

Larnaca Lodge Hall

The Grand Lodge of Cyprus operates four Masonic temple buildings on the island in Nicosia, Larnaca, Paphos, and Limassol.