Cyprus, situated at the intersection of Europe, Asia and Africa, has long served as a gateway to Jerusalem for the Vatican and the Holy Roman Empire. After centuries of absence, the Vatican and Germany are reviving continental Europe’s religious and military ties with the island, referencing its “historical calling.”

Few understand what role Cyprus played for the Holy Roman Empire in history. But it has everything to do with the current extensive war preparations on the island.

Reclaiming Cyprus

“We gather in this special place for an equally special event: the consecration of a Latin bishop at the service of the island of Cyprus,” Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, said on March 16, 2024. “The last resident Latin bishop on the island died exactly 340 years ago. What we are witnessing today is a historic moment for our church, for the Latin patriarchate, but I would also say for everyone.”

According to the website of the Latin patriarchate of Jerusalem, the consecration of the Latin bishop in Cyprus united 1,300 participants, including Evangelical, Latin, Maronite and Orthodox church representatives, along with representatives of the Cypriot government and the United Nations.

After 340 years of absence, the Latin patriarchate of Jerusalem again has a resident bishop in Cyprus. To understand the significance of this, we have to understand history.

The History

The Latin patriarchate of Jerusalem is a diocese of the Catholic Church whose territory includes Cyprus, Jordan, Israel and Palestine. The first Latin patriarch of Jerusalem went on the First Crusade in 1099 as a chaplain. These bishops today are walking in the footsteps of the spiritual advisers of the Crusades.

The Vatican’s leaders have not distanced themselves from this history. Instead, they are seeking to use this office once again to extend the Vatican’s influence over Cyprus.

Addressing Bruno Varriano, the newly appointed auxiliary bishop of the patriarchate in Cyprus, Pizzaballa said that “new pastoral challenges have arisen on the island of Cyprus” requiring “an increasingly solid ecclesial presence and … a different and more courageous pastoral service.”

The fate of the Catholic presence in Cyprus has long been connected to that of Jerusalem. “Every time there was persecution against the friars in the Holy Land, they would seek shelter here in Cyprus. That’s why the church here has never disappeared,” Varriano told Crux.

While it never disappeared, it was greatly diminished. In 2021, Vatican News explained the beginning of Cyprus’s Catholic presence on the island:

Cypriot Catholics presently make up 4.75 percent of the population (38,000) and are for the most part of Latin rite. Many of them trace their roots back to Crusaders who settled there in the late 12th century, following the Third Crusade (1191) and the fall of Jerusalem to Saladin (1187).

The Latin Catholics thrived until Cyprus was conquered by the Turks in 1570–1573, when thousands were killed, churches converted to mosques, and the Latin church dissolved.

But the presence that has been missing for centuries is making a comeback.

Given that the history of Cyprus is deeply linked with that of the bloody crusaders, why does the Vatican keep evoking that history?

Bridge Between Europe and the Middle East

During the inauguration of an independent Apostolic Nunciature in Cyprus on Jan. 26, 2024, Vatican Deputy Secretary of State Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra said: “Today we inaugurate the pope’s home in the small geographically but huge historically Cyprus.”

Apostolic Nuncio to Cyprus Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso also referenced Cyprus’s historic role in a conversation with Phileleftheros in April:

Cyprus may be a small country, but it has a highly strategic position. With the words of Pope Francis, which I often quote, Cyprus is a bridge between Europe and the Middle East. This historical calling of Cyprus makes it particularly fascinating for an ambassador. Here, we can feel the European culture, but at the same time, we experience the consequences of what is happening in the Middle East. This is not only limited to the recent conflict in Gaza but has been an ongoing reality.

According to Catholic leadership, Cyprus’s historical calling is to be a bridge between Europe and the Middle East. But how did Cyprus serve as a bridge for the Catholic Church historically?

Dal Toso noted that in New Testament times, Cyprus hosted one of the first Christian communities, referencing the work of Paul and Barnabas. But there is a stark contrast to how Cyprus housed Christians in the days of the apostles and how it was used later by the Catholic Church in the days of the crusaders.

The Crusades were a violent attempt to gain control of the Holy Land and surrounding areas, which resulted in the brutal butcher of Muslims and Jews. At times, crusaders even killed allied Christians and plundered their wealth.

When Catholic leaders speak about Cyprus as a bridge to the Middle East, they don’t reference the history of these crusades directly. But that was exactly what came to mind for Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry when Cyprus became a member of the European Union in 2004:

And why did the EU want tiny Cyprus to be a member? Is the EU already thinking about Cyprus as a launching pad from which to protect its Jerusalem interests? You can be certain that the EU is thinking about how to protect the holy places in and around Jerusalem. Catholic Europe has thought like this for almost 2,000 years!

Building Toward Collision

More than once Cyprus has offered its services to the German-led European Union. At a summit hosted by the Economist on Nov. 21, 2024, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides noted: “Stability, welfare and security in the Eastern Mediterranean are inextricably linked to the security and stability of the EU.” He offered Cyprus to “act as a bridge between the EU and the region.” This offer is strongly connected with seeking to strengthen the Christian presence in the Middle East.

On Dec. 23, 2024, Christodoulides appointed Thessalia Salina Shambos as Cyprus’s special representative for religious freedoms and protection of minorities in the Middle East. Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said Shambos “will work for the protection of Christian and other minorities” and “assist the European Union’s efforts to support religious groups in the region.” She will promote the “protection of cultural heritage,” such as cultural monuments, and “highlight the diplomatic role of the Republic of Cyprus as a bridge between the European Union and the Middle East, building on its geographical, cultural and historical position.”

Cyprus’s “historical position” is being revived.

It would be foolish to believe that Christian minorities in the Middle East can be strengthened through diplomatic efforts alone. Many Christian communities are being violently persecuted by Islamist extremists and terrorists. According to the Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need, over 360 million Christians live in regions with high levels of persecution. In Syria and Iraq, hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee.

To change this, the EU will need an increased military presence.

Military Preparations

Various EU countries today are joining Cyprus in regular military exercises, even though Cyprus is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. But Cyprus is also acting as a base of operations for potential military interventions in the Middle East.

Shortly after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre on Israel, Germany deployed special forces units to Cyprus to be ready to intervene in the war. The next month, German and Cypriot defense ministers signed an agreement to deepen relations between the armed forces and intensify military cooperation. Germany’s Defense Ministry said, “Cyprus is currently a regional hub for the preparation of possible evacuations.”

Cyprus is already being used to extend military strength to the coast of Lebanon. For 18 years, German troops have been stationed in Cyprus as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. We could see something similar with Syria.

Commenting on the ouster of Bashar Assad in December and future EU cooperation with Syria, Christodoulides noted that Cyprus is the EU member closest to Syria, “so you understand that the role that we must have and that we claim is a leading one.”

He told Phileleftheros on Dec. 30, 2024, “If they do A, the EU will do B, and so forth. If, on the other hand, they exclude minorities, Christians, etc, the EU won’t come to help.”

Today’s Lebanon and Syria are also of special historical importance, as these lands also played a critical role in securing the crusaders’ presence around Jerusalem. Through Cyprus, the Holy Roman Empire was able to strengthen its presence there. We are seeing a similar scenario today.

Fears of Another Crusade

On June 19, 2024, the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah threatened Cyprus: “The Cypriot government must be warned that opening Cypriot airports and bases for the Israeli enemy to target Lebanon means that the Cypriot government has become part of the war, and the resistance will deal with it as part of the war.”

In “The Fall and Rise of Lebanon,” Mr. Flurry commented:

Why would Nasrallah openly threaten Cyprus? It is not known to have contributed to Israel’s fight against Hamas, nor has it opened its bases for Israel to attack Hezbollah. This is a mystery to many, but from Hezbollah’s perspective, there was good reason for this threat.

Though Cyprus hosts British military bases and an America military presence, the island nation is essentially controlled by Germany. It is Germany that truly concerns the terrorists. …

For hundreds of years, the Holy Roman Empire has sought control of Jerusalem, which it views as sacred. Crusaders often went through Cyprus to reach the coasts of Israel and Lebanon, and they butchered many Muslims! This is why Islamist leaders are alarmed by Germany’s takeover of that island.

Nasrallah knew this history. Iranian leaders know this history. They know what Germany has in mind, and they strongly oppose it! These terrorists also want control of the Middle East, especially Jerusalem—and Germany, moving military personnel and equipment into Cyprus, poses a real threat to their ambition!

The EU today, officially allied with Israel, is using Cyprus in a way similar to how the crusaders did—so much so that it got the attention of Hezbollah’s leadership.

On Oct. 28, 2024, Al-Akhbar, a Hezbollah-connected outlet, published an article titled “Germany in Hostile Territory.” It criticized Germany for sharing intelligence with Israel and for a German frigate intercepting a Hezbollah missile on October 17. Al-Akhbar claimed Hezbollah was pushing for “the exclusion of Germany from participating in international forces.”

During the First Crusade, Cyprus was still under Byzantine rule and served the crusaders primarily by providing supplies. Today, the EU is using Cyprus to deliver supplies to another group of people involved in a struggle over Jerusalem: the Palestinians in Gaza. While this is framed as a humanitarian effort, it is reminiscent of the supplies delivered to the crusaders besieging Jerusalem.

From the Third Crusade on, Cyprus became a base for crusaders to regroup and reorganize.

In the eyes of Hezbollah and Iran, modern crusaders are gathering on Cyprus with ambitions for Jerusalem. The whole world should be able to see this!

Neither the Catholic Church nor the nations of the former Holy Roman Empire have ever renounced their ambitions for Jerusalem. They are again preparing for another crusade.

This isn’t paranoia. The Bible reveals that in the name of peace and religion, Germany will once again lead a crusade to get control of Jerusalem.

An Ignored Warning

In 1980, editor in chief of the Plain Truth (predecessor of the Trumpet), Herbert W. Armstrong, visited Cyprus by invitation of the acting president, Georgios Ladas. Mr. Armstrong used the meeting to speak about Bible prophecy that reveals that the Holy Roman Empire, traditionally ruled by Germany, would once again rise.

“I think it’s going to be a union between the nations that are Roman Catholic and the nations that are Orthodox Catholic. And religion is going to play a part in that again,” Mr. Armstrong warned. “Religion has played such a part in wars in the past.”

Ladas was surprised at the idea that religious wars would make a comeback, but this is exactly what the Bible reveals will happen.

Just after Cyprus became an EU member in 2004, Mr. Flurry wrote: “The last crusade will be the supreme inquisition of all history. It is time we understood the bloody history of the Crusades and let it be a warning!” (“The Coming War Between Catholicism and Islam”).

While the world ignores it, Germany is again laying the groundwork for a much larger military operation. Cyprus is gradually being pulled into Germany’s sphere of influence, and German troops on the island have worked for years to gain strategic insight into the crisis area. The Vatican’s increased presence further proves that the island’s history with the Holy Roman Empire is being restored.

History Repeats Itself

Jeremiah 1:15 prophesies that “all the families of the kingdoms of the north” are about to surround Jerusalem. The “kingdoms of the north” refers to a prophesied resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire in Europe, led by Germany. Daniel 2 and Revelation 17 tell us 10 kings will lead 10 nations, or groups of nations, in Europe. These kings will be controlled by the Catholic Church (Revelation 17:1).

As Mr. Flurry explains in The King of the South, a clash between radical Islam and Catholic Europe is coming. These two power blocs will battle over Jerusalem, triggering “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation” (Daniel 12:1). But as a parallel prophecy in Matthew 24 shows, these events will ultimately lead to the return of Jesus Christ.

Germany and the Vatican are now preparing for the last crusade. Once again, they are using Cyprus as a launching pad. To understand where these events are leading, read “The Last Crusade” in Mr. Flurry’s book The Eternal Has Chosen Jerusalem.

The Bible refers to this time as the Great Tribulation. But even as the Bible prophesies of this coming cataclysmic catastrophe, it also proclaims the most hope-filled message this world has ever heard. Bible prophecy points people to their Creator, who is about to intervene in world affairs and bring true, lasting solutions to the world’s problems.

A casual reading of the news will not give you understanding of God’s plan, but our free literature will enlighten those willing to heed God’s message today. It will also show how mankind can avert this catastrophe if he turns to God for solutions.