Politis

“A Child with a Photograph”: The Memory That Doesn’t Fade at the Apostle Paul Gymnasium in Paphos

Published February 13, 2026, 17:21
“A Child with a Photograph”: The Memory That Doesn’t Fade at the Apostle Paul Gymnasium in Paphos

Students at the Apostle Paul Gymnasium in Paphos had the opportunity to hear the moving testimony of Andreas Matsas, a man who experienced the tragedy of 1974 and his captivity firsthand. Mr. Matsas’ speech concerned the issue of missing persons in Cyprus, a timeless wound for Cypriot society. Through his personal experience, he described the fear, anxiety, and hope experienced by prisoners and their families. Mr. Matsas spoke about the families of the missing, who live with uncertainty and anticipation for years. He described mothers who kept the door open, wives who did not wear black, and children who grew up with a photograph and the hope that the missing person would return. Absence without certainty is a special kind of grief, a wound that does not heal. The search for the missing continues through the Committee on Missing Persons, which works to locate, exhume, and identify remains using DNA scientific methods. Each identification brings relief, but also the pain of confirmation. The issue of missing persons is primarily human, as behind every name lies a story that remained unfinished. The presence of Mr. Matsas at the school was a lesson in memory and responsibility, a reminder that history is not just pages of books, but people, experiences, and truths that seek justice. The search for the missing will continue until everyone is found and an end is put to this drama.

Share:
Read Full Article on Politis

You Might Also Like

Back to News