The Centre for Medieval Arts & Rituals (CeMAR) at the University of Cyprus spurs and promotes groundbreaking interdisciplinary research in medieval studies. Its unique approach to the study of medieval arts and rituals addresses a long-standing gap in existing research that has not seen medieval arts and rituals as the interdependent and complementary practices that they truly are. CeMAR proceeds on the premise that medieval arts are imbricated with medieval rituals.

Adopting a holistic approach to medieval arts and rituals, CeMAR greatly contributes to and informs our modern understanding of arts and practices in the medieval period while also highlighting the diverse and exciting ways in which medieval arts and rituals persevere and survive in our times. At the same time, it sheds light on previously understudied facets of medieval times. To study medieval arts and rituals in our modern, Cypriot, context is to bring us closer to our heritage: not only to see it and recognise it, but also learn how to preserve it and how to carry it forward.

In this and in many other ways, CeMAR contributes to a broader effort, supported by the European Union and recently charted by the European Cultural Heritage Strategy for the 21st century, or Strategy 21, of conserving our common European heritage.

CeMAR, the only dedicated research centre for the study of medieval arts and rituals in Cyprus, is also unique in its cross-disciplinary focus. It is a centre that houses all disciplines associated with the Humanities (Archaeology, History, Linguistics, Philology, Literature, Classics, Medieval Studies, Philosophy, Theology, Anthropology, Musicology, Visual Arts, Performance Arts, and Cultural Studies) – fields represented in CeMAR by members of the academic staff, postdoctoral associates, as well as several international scholars and researchers who have lent their support to CeMAR.