AGIOS SOZOMENOS

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Agios Sozomenos is a deserted village located in the Nicosia district, three kilometers north of Podamia/Dereli and six kilometers west of Pyroi/Gaziler.. It is very close to the Green Line. According to Goodwin, Agios Sozomenos was named after an early Cypriot saint. Until 1964, the village was mixed, inhabited by Greek and Turkish Cypriots. In 1958, Turkish Cypriots adopted the alternative name Arpalık, meaning “place of barley.”
 
 
 
Historical Population:

The village was always a mixed village. As can be seen from the chart above, in the Ottoman census of 1831, the Muslim (Turkish Cypriots) population was slightly more than the Greek Cypriots (50.7%). In 1891 the Turkish Cypriot proportion increased to 69%. Throughout the British period, while the Turkish Cypriot population of the village showed a steady increase, the number of Greek Cypriots gradually decreased. In 1960, the Greek Cypriot share of the population was only 12.6%.

Displacement:

The first conflict-related displacement took place in 1964. In February 1964, both Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriots inhabitants of Agios Sozomenos/Arpalık were displaced. Turkish Cypriots fled to Louroujina/Akıncılar(063) enclave and Greek Cypriots to Potamia/Dereli(089). The number of those who were displaced was approximately 200. After 1974, most of the Turkish Cypriots of Agios Sozomenos/Arpalık were resettled in Argaki/Akçay(020),a village near the town of Morphou/Güzelyurt(072), together with other displaced villagers from neighboring villages such as Potamia/Dereli(089) who had also sought refuge in the Louroujina/Akıncılar(063).

Current Inhabitants:

Currently the village is largely destroyed and in ruins. There are only a couple of houses near the village that are inhabited by their original Greek Cypriot owners. The last census of 2001, counted only four persons living in the village.

  


 
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