The Managing Director of a German auction house who recently bought a casket with the relics of saints originally from St Mamas church in Morphou, Cyprus, and will return it on Tuesday to its rightful owner, the Metropolis of Morphou, has stressed in statements to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) that art is very important for the people and their history, their culture and their identity.
The reliquary aroused international interest and attracted numerous bidders, but due to the intervention of Cypriot art historian, Maria Paphiti, it was withdrawn shortly before it was about to be auctioned, on 12 April, in fact during the auction process. Ten bidders were interested in it from all over the world, Greece, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Russia, Susanne, Hargesheimer told CNA.
— Source: CNA