It's a miracle: Boy George returns 300-year-old stolen picture of Christ after bishop spots it on star's wall while watching TV

It's a miracle: Boy George returns 300-year-old stolen picture of Christ after bishop spots it on star's wall while watching TV

For more than 25 years it formed part of Boy George’s art collection.

But after being told that the icon of Christ had been stolen from the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, the pop singer has handed it back.

Incredibly, the church bishop had seen the battered painting hanging from the wall of the singer's home while watching a documentary on him on Dutch TV.

George, who of course has famously sung about miracles and churches with 'poisoned minds', had bought the 300-year-old piece in 1985 without knowing it had been snatched from a church during the 1974 Turkish invasion.
But Bishop Porfyrios, the Cyprus Orthodox Church’s representative in Brussels, made contact with him after spotting it above his fireplace at the gothic mansion in Hampstead, north London
Today, the 49-year-old singer handed it over to the cleric at nearby St Anagyre church.
The singer told the BBC: ‘I’m happy it is going back to its original, rightful home. I’ve always been a friend of Cyprus and have looked after the icon for 26 years.’

In return, the bishop gave him a modern version of the Jesus Christ Pantokrator painting as a token of gratitude and ‘with the wish that others soon follow his example'.
Thousands of religious artefacts went missing from northern Cyprus following Turkey’s 1974 invasion, which left the island’s Greek and Turkish speakers divided by partition.
Many relics have since appeared on the international art market and the Cyprus Church has been actively seeking to repatriate them.

Bishop Porfyrios, who caught only a glimpse of the gold-leaf image during the show he watched, delved deeper and discovered it had been plundered from the church of St Charalambous in Neo Chorio, near Kithrea.
After verifying this with the priest from St Charalambous, he contacted the singer and told him about the icon’s provenance and he was happy to return it to its original owners without payment.
Bishop Porfyrios said of George: ‘He bought it from an art dealer in 1985, but did not know it came from occupied Cyprus, and it was bought in good faith.
‘After our contact he gave it back to Cyprus with pleasure’
George added: ‘I look forward to seeing the icon on display in Cyprus for the moment and finally to the Church of St Charalambos from where it was illegally stolen.’

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cyprus is the safest country in the world for young people

Image
According to   an article   by the Guardian, Cyprus is the safest of the 184 countries analyzed by the   World Health Organization (WHO) , with a death rate of almost one in every 4,762 youths aged between 15 and 29. Cyprus topped the list with 21 deaths for every 100,000 youths, followed by Luxembourg which had 22, Spain with 25 and Denmark along with Malta with 26. The UK and Japan had 33 young deaths for every 100,000 youths while Greece had 45. Sierra Leone, Syria and Ivory Coast are the most dangerous for young people according to the figures which indicate 671, 579 and 574 young people die every 100,000 youths. The most common cause of death in the figures was due to road accidents and according to WHO estimates, 350,000 young people died in 2015 as a result of traffic related injuries. Self-harm, interpersonal violence and drug use disorders were also among the leading causes of death among young people. Globally, the mortality rate for young pe...
Read more

The world's 50 best honeymoon hotels and destinations

Image
OVER-WATER VILLAS Baros, Maldives 30 wooden water villas line a crescent boardwalk in the lagoon, and these are furnished with large four-poster beds and private sunbathing decks with daybed and loungers. It’s also home to Lighthouse, one of the loveliest Indian Ocean restaurants; open-sided, set over water and circular with tables dotted around the edge, you really feel like you’re dining alone together in the middle of the ocean.  Baros has 30 wooden water villas which line a crescent boardwalk in the lagoon. •  The most romantic Maldives hotels Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, Tahiti E ach over-water villa is a pocket oasis, complete with broad bed, private deck with steps to the sea and a freestanding bathtub beside sliding doors which, when opened, reveal views of Bora Bora’s Mount Otemanu across the lagoon. It’s the sexiest tub in the world. The private beach, cathedral-like spa with couples’ massage room and poolside cabanas are...
Read more

A look into the future of Limassol

Image
By the end of 2020, ten new land development projects are expected to be completed. Among them are impressive skyscrapers, luxury buildings, seaside hotel units and high-spec office buildings, with more developments to come. All of these projects listed below, in no particular order, will be constructed in Limassol, a city whose development prospects are currently booming. The Oval An ambitious project which aims to offer its visitors and office occupants a feeling of connection with the Limassol beachside front. The Cybarco-constructed innovative office building, designed by world-famous architecture firm Atkins, in cooperation with WKK and Armeftis, is located only 100 metres from the sea, with 16 floors of uninterrupted view. The luxurious lobby, the garden, cafeteria and services offered (such as 24-hour security and controlled building access) complete the package for “The Oval” which is set to open end of May 2017. Limassol ONE tower Construction work for the Li...
Read more