Cyprus state paid €8.86 million towards parish clergy salaries in 2025, costs expected to reach €10 million by 2029
In 2025, the Cyprus government contributed €8.86 million towards the salaries of parish clergy, with projections indicating the annual cost could approach €10 million by 2029. The majority of this funding, €8.57 million, was allocated to the synods’ central ecclesiastical fund, while smaller amounts supported the Maronite archdiocese, Latin church, Armenian Church, and Saint Chrysostom’s Monastery. The state supports 850 eligible priests, paying €681 per priest each month.
This financial support scheme dates back to a 1971 agreement under Archbishop Makarios, linking the state's contribution to the transfer of church lands, which was only completed in 2019 after decades of delay. Annual increases in the number of beneficiaries and adjustments in payments are set based on general state employee pay rises. Funds are channeled through the Church rather than directly to priests, maintaining ecclesiastical responsibility for payroll.
The approved budget for upcoming years anticipates a rise in payments, with the state planning to allocate €9.1 million in 2026, gradually increasing to €9.5 million by 2028, reflecting ongoing commitments to support religious communities in Cyprus.
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