The Linobambaki of Cyprus

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Outwardly Muslim, the Linobambaki or Linobamvaki, which means cotton linen sect secretly professed christianity. The majority of Linobambaki were Latin and Maronite civilians.

Home | Samuel Baker 1879 | Rupert Gunnis | Ronald Jennings | RLN Michel 1908 | Proselytism and Crypto-Christians in Cyprus by Alkan Chaglar

 

Louroudjina, the hub of the Linobambakis

Residents of Louroujina village are (at least nominally) Muslims of Linobambaki origins. They still keep their Italian surnames and speak Greek as their mother tongue. However, after campaigns of "turkification" by consecutive Rauf Denktash governments, they were given surnames in Turkish, speaking Greek was discouraged and the name of the village was changed into Akıncılar (meaning "Ottoman raiders" in Turkish) Louroujina is known politically as a leftist stronghold in Northern Cyprus.

On some Greek Cypriot maps, the village is spelt as Loyroykina, or Lurucina.


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Many Turkish Cypriots today have a Linobambaki heritage.

Arifler

Churches were routinely physically converted too, like the people...

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