The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem is made up of five vicariates: that of Cyprus, that of Jordan, that of Israel, that dedicated to migrants and asylum seekers; and that of Santiago.
The history of the presence of Latin Catholics in Cyprus dates back to the year 1192. In 1196 a Latin archbishop took office in Nicosia, the current capital of the island, accompanied by three bishops for the cities of Famagusta, Limassol and Paphos, which It led to the arrival of numerous orders until 1570, when Cyprus was conquered by the Ottoman Turks, who dissolved the Church, causing the exile of many.
In 1878 Catholic schools managed to multiply, and the island’s independence in 1960 allowed the recognition of Catholics as a religious group, with a representative in Parliament.
Bishop Bruno Varriano will reside in Nicosia, where he has the support of eleven priests who work there and in the cities of Limassol, Larnaka and Paphos, which have between them a dozen churches and Latin chapels.