Gourri Village

The community of Gourri located on the East side of the Troodos Mountain range on the foothills of the forest of Macheras at a distance of 35 kilometers from the capital, Nicosia. It has a rich geographical repousse with an average altitude of 900 meters. The highest peak is ‘’Moutti tis Roudkias’’ located above the ‘’Nero tou Romiou’’ opposite Kionia which are found 2 kilometers south of Macheras.

The region is flooded with tributaries od the river Serrachi. Gouri borders with the villages: Kalo Chorio, Agio Epifanio, Framaka, Odou, Lazania and Fikardou. Archeological finds suggest its inhabitance since the 5th century B.C., while the use of the name seems to exist since 800A.D. It is believed that the specific name comes either from the first residents of the village Kyriako Vourio, or from the feudal lord Jacob de Gourri.

In 1960 the village had about 600 residents, while the current permanent residents come up to about 300. This number increases during the weekends and during the holiday season due to the return of expatriates and tourism.

The products produced in Gourri are grapes, wines, zivania, almonds, olives, vegetables, tomatoes, fruits.

In the village Fold architecture Is dominant with stone-built houses and paved roads. Apart from the picturesque character of the village the visitor can enjoy different sites such as the church of Saint George (1898 A.D.), Folk art Museum, the Weaving workshop the Appiary while the Nature trail which ends at the Mavritsio waterfall is a must.

The central street of the village was recently upgraded with pavement while at the village square there is a fountain and mosaics of the Saints. The village offers three traditional taverns- cafes as well as traditional guest houses. Additionally, based in Gouri are the ‘’Elpida’’ sports Association, the ‘’Toxotis Kentavros’’ Hunting Association and the Christian Women’s Association ‘’Saint Demetrios’’.

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Agios Georgios Church

Agios (Saint) George church is located at the village centre. This is a stone-built church, which was constructed in the place of an older one which is dated around 1500A.D. With a written inscription, it informs us that the temples inauguration took place on May 24th 1898 during Archbishop Sofroniou. There are also different ecclesiastical vessels, relics and icons. The temple celebrates on April 23rd.

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Agios Demetrios Chapel

The chapel is locate at a distance on 3km Southwest of the village amongst a verdant surrounding, within vineyards and centurion olive trees. A stone-built construction. In this location there possibly was an older settlement which was destroyed during the plague. It holds a service twice a year on October 26th and Easter Tuesday.

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Palaichori Morphou

Southwest of Nicosia, at a distance of 42 kilometres, Palaichori is located. It has an altitude of 930 meters and is surrounded by high mountain tops. Which can reach up to 1200 meters in altitude. Its residents are about one thousand. The amphitheatrical placement it has is unique. Separated in the middle from a tributary river of the Serrachi river.

The division gives the two regions of Palaichori their corresponding names : Palaichori Orinis and Palaichori Morphou. The exquisite scenery was highlighted by the writer R.Gunnis in his book ‘Historic Cyprus’, when he visited in 1935.

The history of Palaihcori is lost along the unexplored past. We don’t have clues as to when exactly the first residents settled here, coming from the plains and seaside locations. However, it is certain that after the Arabic raids (the first from the caliph Mu’awiya I in 648/49 A.D.) the resident of the seaside regions begun settling systematically in the Troodos mountains, hence in the region of Pitsilia as well. This is how most of the current mountain villages of Cyprus were founded. A new Byzantine world was born. Pat of this world was Palaichori.

For the first time the name Palaichori (Palaiochorio) is referred to in 1237, just a few years after the Franks conquered Cyprus.The characteristic “paleo” confirms its existence already since the byzantine, at least, years. Moreover, since the name is Greek, its founding must be placed during the byzantine years, since of it was founded during the Frankish rule, it would probably have a foreign name. Hence, in 1237, Palaichori was conceded from the king of Cyprus Eric II to the Knights Templar of the Small Commandery of Temple (Kerinia) (S. Pauli, Codice diplomatico del Sacro Militare Ordine… vol. I. p. 127). According to de Mas Latri, Palaichori, after a decree by te French king Phillip IV, with a prompt of the Pope, was granted to the knight of St. John who had their headquarters in Kolossi. This happened after the dissolution og the Templar Knights, which took place between 1308 and 1314. In addition, during the Frankish rule (1192-1489) it had been a fief under the occupation of the large family of the house of Ibelin.

References of Palaichori are found in Venetian maps. All the chartigraphers, such as Fraco in 1570, Ortelius 1573, Blaeu 1653, Janssonius 1637 and Valk and Schenk in 1705, consistently give the name Palaichori. In a copy in the records of Venice on December 11th 1566, which mentions the liberation of the serfdom of Palaichori, the village is reffrenced as Puliocori.

In Palaichori notable monuments have been built. First of all are its temples. The most notable one, chronologically temple is the one of Apostle Luke, which was unfortunately demolished in 1924, to be replaced by a bigger one. From the old temple, only the bell tower was salvaged as well as a few pices of the chapiters and arches, which are now preserved in the adjacent old primary school. According tot G. Jeffery ( A Description of the Historic Monuments of Cyprus, Nicosia 1918), who visited Palaichori in 1916, on the floor of the old temple a section of the opus sectile was preserved, similar to the one in Acheiropoietos in Lampousa. This is especially important since it leads to dating long before the 10th century. The frescoes were intensely influenced by the Italian art of the 15th century.

Also, another important temple is the one of Panagia Chrysopantanassa found in the village centre. A gabled wooden roofed temple. Built in the 16h century. During the same century chronologically the excellent wall frescoes of the temple are also dated. In The Holy Pothesis, inside the temple’s chancel, the litterateur Nikos Nikolaides the Cypriot, left his stamp by illustrating in 1904 the Birth of the Christ.

However, the church that is the pride and joy of Palaichori is the Transfiguration of the Saviour ( Metamorfosi tou Sotiros), with frescoes that date back to the second decade of the 16th century, This small wooden roofed temple, belongs since December 2001 to the list of Monuments of World Heritage of UNESCO. The wall frescoes of the church are excellent and they are in good condition. The fresco ‘’Lady of Angels’’ (Kyria ton Aggelon), illustrated on the niche of the arch of the chancel, became a letter stamp of the State, while in another wall mural Saint Demetris and George are presented riding their horses. In Cyprus this is the only time the two saints are pictured together on horseback. In fact, Saint George had extended his arm and touched the shoulder of Saint Demetris. Finally, two more churches have murals : the church of Saint George and the chapel of Agioi Anargyroi Kosma and Damianou.

One of the two murals in the church if Saint George also belongs to Nikos Noklaides and illustrates Saint Marina and her testification. (1905)

Other important monuments of Palaichori are:
• The museum of Byzantine Heritage of Palaichori in the village centre, where rare ecclesiastical relics are housed.

• The medieval olive press and the old Primary School in the yard of the church if Apostle Luke.

• The hideout of Gregoris Afxentiou, house of Andreas and Maritsas Karaoli.

• The statue of the Cypriot Mother, which was placed on an eminence where it towers over the community, to remind everyone the participation of the citizens of Palaihori in the Liberation fight of EOKA and the sacrifice of its worthy children, Michalaki Karaoli, Kyriakos Matsi and Nikos Georgiou.

• The home pf the fighter Plikarpos Giorkatzis, in the village centre

• The home of the hero Kyriakos Matsi.

• The monument dedicated to the fallen and missing persons during the Turkish invasion in 1974, near the regional primary school: Antonis Pavlides, Andreas Kouroufexis, Andreas Savvopoulos, Nikos Poumbouris, Andreas Eleftheriadis and Georgios Pavlou

• The regions of exquisite natural beauty, such as the valley of Maroullenas and the region on the top of Papoytas at an altitude of 1554m.

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Metamorfosis tou Sotiros Church

The church of Metamorfoseos tou Sotiros since 2000 is part of the nine other byzantine churches found in Troodos decorated with wall frescoes, in the list of World Heritage Monuments of UNESCO. The church was built at the start of the 16th century and belongs to the architectural type of a single isled wooden roofed temple. The narthex, which appears to have existed since at least the beginning of the 17th century, extends west and south of the temple in the form of an alley, and is covered by the same gabled roof. The inside of the temple is ornamented. Decorated by wall frescoes dating to the beginning of the 16th century, in time with the building of the temple. The wall murals are part of one of the most completed pictorial sets of the post-byzantine art of Cyprus.

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Church of Panagia Chrysopantanassa

The external appearance of the church is characterised by an intense traditionalcolour, since the whole church is covered in stone. At the same time, the church is covered by a gabled wooden roof, with tiles, known as French type. Inside the temple consists of three isles. The east part of the temple leads to a hemisphere internal arch covered in a quarter dome. The rescued church consists a built of the 16th century, perhaps even older, which underwent a series of renovations and modifications, since the end of the 19th century and the end of the 20th century.

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Galata Village

Galata is located 60 kilometres west of Nicosia in the beautiful valley of Solea. It has an altitude of 620 metres above sea level.

It is built in the two banks of the River Klarios that crosses through it and it is literally drowning in green. It is conjunct with the neighbouring community of Kakopetria. Both these twin hamlets receive thousands of tourists throughout the year.

Galata is famous for its tasty fruits that it produces in large quantities, especially apples of every variety, apricots, peaches, cherries, damsons, grapes, and others, as well as a variety of fresh vegetables.

If one wants to enjoy a few unforgettable summer moments in Galata, he / she must sit at the village’s plaza. There, in the shadow of the age-old oak and the plane-trees with the Kargotis (Klarios) River, he / she will have unforgettable moments.

The houses of Galata -both the modern and the traditional ones -possess grace and beauty. One is particularly impressed by the wooden balconies and the wooden stairs of the old, traditional houses.

The tiled, inclined roofs, the local stone with which the houses’ walls are made, the latches and bolts, the gateways with their wooden transoms, all these are unfeigned witnesses of contrived folkloric architecture, which is unfortunately dying away as time goes by.

Chiefly however, what is found here is an excellent cultural heritage. The six Byzantine churches with the pyramid-like roofs and their rectangular tiles present to the visitor an unparalleled Byzantine architecture, mainly from the 16 th century››. (Journeys in Cyprus, G and M Karouze).

The History and Tradition regarding Galata — the village’s name.

In very old times, there where legend merges with history, in the “Esso-Galata venue west of today’s village, some shepherds lived along with their flocks. The people who lived in the lower lands, the “katochorites” (lower-village inhabitants), went there in order to buy milk. The people would say amongst them “lets go over there to the ‹galataes› (plural, milkmen) and buy some milk”. Out of “galataes”, always according to tradition, came the name Galata.

Another tradition reports that the first settlers came from Galatia of Asia Minor and were named “Galates” (Byzantine era). So their small settlement was named Galata.

In his Chronicle (Annals), Leontios Machaeras reports that Galata belonged to the feud of the “Regas” (king) since 1196.

Galata is again mentioned by Leontios Machaeras in his Chronicle: ‹‹ … Learn…. These Maria said to me…. who took care of Mr. Erricos de Giblet in the village of Galata… ››.

Thus we come to the conclusion that during the Frank Domination era Galata belonged to the De Giblet family.

In Mediaeval maps Galata is found marked under the name Golata and Galata (Iacomo Franco 1570, Galata).

This is what the Russian traveller, Vasiliev Barksy, wrote in 1735 regarding Galata:

He first visited Galata and then the village’s monastry of Podithou as he prescripes it.Then he returned back to the village were he spend the night.

‹‹ I went to the nearest village, named Galata, and spent the night close to a Christian along with my companions, which were priests. Let it be known that the villages of Solea have very few Muslim inhabitants, the majority being Greek Orthodox Christians, with many churches and priests. This village is the most beautiful of all. It has many fruit-bearing trees and running water and it is located next to the aforementioned river Klarios ››.

The Village of “Lampadou”

It is not known where exactly the village of “Lampadou” was built. However, the inhabitants of Galata as well as those of the surrounding villages -by tradition -starkly believe that this village or small settlement was located close to the country church of St. George the “Perachorites”, east of Kakopetria and to the left of the tourist road to Troodos.

“Lampadou” or “Lampadis” or “Lampadistos” has been the birthplace of two of our Church’s Saints, St Herakleidios and St. John the “Lampadistes” (the Illuminator).

The following reasons reinforce and confirm the view that Lampadou was located in the aforementioned area.

• According to St. John the Illuminator’s “Akolouthia” (service) of 1667, he came from ‹‹ the hamlet of Lampadou of the Galaton district ››.

• In an unpublished manuscript (Φ13 β) it was mentioned that: ‹‹ He was a Cypriot -St. John the Illuminator -from the region of the Solea district, from the village Lampadou ››.

• The Russian traveller Barsky who in 1735 spent one night in Galata, during his tour ‹‹ in all the monasteries of Cyprus ›› mentions: ‹‹ John -a saintly man -the Illuminator from the village of Lampadis, where the Saint was born and which now has been abandoned as I have ascertained when I was in Solea ››.

• One of the “Aposticha” (types of verses) that refers to St. Herakleidios goes like this: « Τόπους αμειβόμενος οι του Σωτήρος Απόστολοι προς Σολέαν ιθύνονται και δόξαν κηρύττοντες Ιησού του Λόγου , άχρι της Λαμπάδου , ένθα και εύρον τον φαιδρόν θείον και πάνσοφον Ηρακλείδιον , δοχείον καθαρώτατον και μύστην υπάρχοντα Ελληνικής διαθέσεως , όν διδάξαντες έλεγον , σέβειν ένα Θεόν ημών », narrating how the Apostles, preaching the Word of God, came to Lampadou and taught St. Herakleidios about Christianity.

• In the service of St. John the Illuminator of 1774, h is mentioned as descending ‹‹ from the village Lampadistou of Solea››.

• Sofronios, the former Metropolitan Bishop of Leontopolis writes in his 1935 opus “Hagiology of the Orthodox Church”: ‹‹ Saint John the Illuminator, from Cyprus (October 4 th ). In no hagiographer have I encountered a memoir of him… He is celebrated in Cyprus, descending from Lampadou (a village by the hamlet of Galata) and thus having this name ››.

• At a small distance outside Galata there is a bridge called “giofyrin t’ Aerakleidkiou”, that is bridge of St. Herakleidios.

• There is a venue quite near Galata named “Moutte tis Lampadou” (nose or peak of Lampadou).

• In the Byzantine churches of Galata and Kakopetria there are frescoes depicting St. Herakleidios and St. John the Illuminator.

• ‹‹ Again the mention of a settlement under the name Lampas in the “district of the Galates” indicates that the settlement must have been in the Solea region (where the large village of Galata is) ››. (History of the island of Cyprus, volume II, Andros Pavlides).

St. Herakleidios

From the Hagiography of St. Herakleidios -and also from other sources -we can conclude that he was an idolater (heathen) and a son of a certain Hierokleous or Hierokles, a heathen priest. It is known that the ancient people in Cyprus, like the ancient Greeks, believed in the twelve Gods of Olympus.

When the Apostles Paul and Varnavas came to Cyprus in 45 AD to preach the Nazarene’s religion, they passed by Lampadou that was close to Galata. Here the Apostles met the then young Herakleidios along with his father who -at that moment -was offering a sacrifice to the Gods. Hierokles invited them to take part in the sacrifice. The Apostles refused. They only asked to be shown the wrote to Pafos.

Hierokles allowed his son, Herakleidios, to escort the Apostles and show them the way.

As they were walking, the Apostles taught to Herakleidios the true religion of Jesus Christ and its superiority, in comparison with the religion he believed in. Herakleidios was thrilled with the new religion, became a believer, and was baptised. The Apostles ordained him as the bishop of Tamassos.

St. John the “Lampadistes” (Illuminator / torch bearer)

St. John the Illuminator descended from Lampadou, as his surname reveals, just like St. Herakleidios. ‹‹ … from the renowned island of Cyprus, from the village of Lampadou in the district of Galata››. (Costas Myriantheas St John the Illuminator)

He lived during the 11 th century. His parents were the priest Kyriakos and his mother Anna.

He was nurtured with the essence of the faith and learned the holy scriptures from an early age. Because of his great love for God, he dedicated himself wholeheartedly to Him.

When he was 18 years old his parents were pressing him to be engaged, forgetting that their son was the fruit of their prayers and pleas.

After the engagement, John decided to break his engagement and dedicate himself to God. He announced to the parents of his fiancee his irreversible decision. In spite their bitterness and their feelings of being insulted, they pretended that they still had loving feelings for him. They invited him to dinner and poisoned him and as a result John was blinded. The scene of this lethal dinner with the poisonous fishes that they offered to him is depicted in a large portable icon, which is found in his monastery in Kalopanagiotis.

He was now blind. But he says “If they have taken from me the eyes of the body, the eyes of the soul exist, so that I will praise the name of God with greater zeal”.

With the help of a servant who had the same name as he did, he leaves Lampadou and ascends to the monastery of his fellow-villager, St. Herakleidios.

He lived three years of angelic, ascetic life “teaching everyone that -if they want- they are able to live ‘close’ to Christ”.

He was 22 years old when he delivered his “snow-white soul” to the Lord.

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The Museum of Folkloric Art

Galata’s Museum of Folkloric Art was established in the summer of 1990 by the -then -Assistant Principal of the School, Mr. Athanasios Papadopoulou.

After a great deal of troubles, rushing around, visiting many villages even up to Pafos, and with the love and contribution of Galata’s inhabitants, he managed to create a beautiful Museum that was quite rich in exhibits and one of the first in Cyprus.

The Museum’s founder declares:

‹‹My ambition was to salvage -as soon as possible -tools, vessels, garments / attires, furniture, kitchenware, and a collection of items of everyday use that belong to some other eras… I was seeing them thrown away and abandoned in yards, in gardens, and in half-ruined houses, being consumed by the rain, the rust, and the all-subduing Time. I grieved for them, I felt for them, I wanted to protect them, to take care of them, to repair and maintain them, and to place them in a suitable area so that our souls will kneel before them like before holy icons. ››

All of the Museum’s items, over five hundred of them, are categorised according to profession. Tools and utilities of the shepherd, the farmer, the silk-breeder, the builder, the butcher, the potter, the lumberjack, the wine-shop owner, the shoemaker, and the carpenter. There’s a rich collection of attires, a large variety of kitchenware, and various furnishings that you will feel glad to come to and saunter in.

The openings of Galata’s F.A. Museum were conducted by the Minister- at the time -of Education, Mr. Christoforos Christoforou on the 11/11/1990.

A great benefactor of the Museum is the dear departed Michalakis Kythreotis, who “portioned” it with the amount of 2,000 C.P.

The Museum is open in the morning and in the afternoon.

Excerpts from an article of Mr. Lakis Fourouklas in the “Proina Nea” (Morning News) newspaper, 15/9/1990.

……We will now guide you through the Museum’s grounds, its entrance by itself predisposing you for what you will see next.

It is a rather small place that -at a first glance -reminds you the traditional Cypriot house with all the elements co-existing in one single room.

The entrance is a traditional, wooden, double door made of pinewood while the roof is made of reeds resting on wooden beams.

The walls are whitewashed and the whole prevailing atmosphere reminds you of the old, village houses that -as they say -are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Despite the lack of space, Mr. Papadopoulos has managed to classify the various objects, which are contributions of the village’s inhabitants, into unities that at the same time bond together with a natural harmony.

So, the tools of the farmer, the shepherd, the builder, the shoemaker, the silk-breeder, and many others, as well as kitchenware co-exist in the same area. In a few words, the museum’s exhibits outline the village household from the beginning of the century and onward.

Right as you enter the museum, you will face a “Pouaro” (chest of drawers) that dates back to 1925 and on your left a teacher’s desk from 1915. Above them there are paintings and kitchen utensils, some of them dating back to the previous century and reminding us of other times.

On the right there are -craftily placed -traditional Cypriot attires, an old sewing machine, as well as a child’s bed made of iron and covered with a white marquisette. On our left there are all sorts of objects that are considered necessary in the traditional Cypriot house such as bread-planks, jugs, wooden shovels, rakes, demijohns for “Zivania” (strong, transparent alcoholic beverage), a loom, and other things.

Of course, tools like the ones of the shoemaker, the plough, the yoke for the horses, the “adhrakti” (kind of distaff with blades), the silk-breeder’s apparatus, the spindle, the spinning wheel, and so many others that have marked the life of our country in the beginning of the century.

And all these housed in a very small area.

For all of the museum’s exhibits there is a book where both the names of the donators as well as the date that the contributions were made are recorded.

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Panagia tis Podithou Unesco Church

“Travelling on the Nicosia-Troodos tourist road and entering the Galata community, in your right you face the “Panagia of Podithou” church. The “Panagia Eleousa” church (Blessed Virgin Mary, the all-merciful), known as “Panagia tis Podithou”, is what remained form a small Monastery that today does not exist. The church is built at the centre of a long and narrow valley close to the riverside of Klarios.

The church’s shape is rectangular and -in the east -it ends in a semicircular apse. The internal dimensions without the apse are 12 x 4 meters. It is surrounded by a Π -shaped gallery that is covered by the same V-shaped, wooden roof, which is capped by tile plates made by tile-makers from Galata. It was built in 1502 by Demetrios de Coron and his wife Helen. Demetrios and his family were one of medieval Cyprus’s families of Latin descent that were Hellenized. In 1461 Demetrios was the commander in the “Pentagia” region and was in favour of Iacovos, illegitimate brother of the legitimate queen Charlotte, who was illegitimately claiming the royal crown of Cyprus. Forty-one years later, in 1502, Demetrios de Coron built the “Panagia Eleousa” church that was later renamed “Panagia tis Podithou”.

In the external side of the west wall, the Virgin Mary is figured above the central entrance. The donators are depicted under Her throne, a couple to the left and a man to the right, having a model of the church in their midst, which they offer to the Virgin Mary. Under this composition there is the following founder’s inscription:

“THIS DIVINE AND VENERABLE CHURCH OF THE ALL-HOLY, MERCIFUL MOTHER OF GOD WAS RAISED IN THE YEAR OF OUR CHRIST 1502 THROUGH EXPENSES AND MUCH DESIRE OF KIROU MISER DEMETRI DE CORO AND HIS WIFE ELENI , FOUNDERS OF THIS HOLY MONASTERY AND THOS OF YOU WHO READ THIS PRAY FOR THEM AND WISH THEM HAPPINESS THROUGH OUR LORD, AMEN”.

The “Panagia tis Podithou” church was not decorated with frescoes in its entirety. They cover the external side of the west wall, the internal west pediment, the eastern pediment, the quadrant of the apse, and the semicircular wall of the apse.. The Crucifixion in the internal western pediment does not resemble the familiar unadorned Crucifixion of the Byzantine tradition. It is a scene with many characters, influenced by Western painting. It looks more like a religious painting with many details. The Crucified Christ and the thieves, the -westernised -soldiers on horseback, the soldier that is breaking the thieves’ legs, the Virgin Mary that tumbles to the ground unconscious, the soldiers that are rolling dice for Christ’s tunic and quarrelling, Maria Magdalene embracing the base of Christ’s Cross, and -finally -the enigmatic figure of the monk on his knees.

The Holy Towel is pictured at the top of the eastern pediment. The two “visions” of the Prophet Moses are depicted further down. On the left, Moses is receiving the plates with the Ten Commandments from the hands of God. On the right, Moses is bending down so as to untie the lace of his sandal. Before him and higher above there is a depiction of the Virgin Mary with Christ in an “engkolpio” (shape of a handbook), in the midst of the Burning Bush’s flames.

In the apse’s quadrant and in a majestic composition, the Virgin Mary is depicted enthroned and having Christ on her knees while the archangels Michael and Gabriel are turned toward the Virgin Mary, holding candles and admiring her.

This fresco, which is preserved in good condition, is very impressive.

“…It is perfect in composition, very beautiful in appearance, and quite rich in internal reflection, worked with delicacy and grace, craftsmanship and studiousness, and with clarity of perception…”

(Cyprian Studies)

Under this wonderful -oval shaped – “baby-holding” Virgin Mary, there is a depiction of the Apostles’ Holy Communion in two scenes. On the left there’s the sharing of the “Artos” (Holy Bread) and on the right the receiving of the “Enos” (Wine). Then come the following Hagiographies from the Old Testament, which are mentioned amongst the Apocrypha (secret, non-canonical gospels) of St Jacob. Joachim and Anna offering the gifts, the Prayer of Joachim, the Prayer of St. Anna, the embrace of Joachim and Anna, the Birth of the Virgin Mary.

The church’s icon screen is considered as one of the best woodcut, gild-edged icon screens of the 16 th century. Unfortunately, neither the Cross up above nor the small icons high up the icon screen are in existence. The Bema Doors of the temple, works of art with great value, have been stolen in the beginning of 2003 and their whereabouts are unknown.

The name “Podithou” or “Podythou”.

The centre of the entire hagiography in the “Panagia tis Podithou” church is the Enthroned Virgin Mary Holding the Infant Christ in the apse of the Holy Bema. The positioning of the Burning Bush at the highest point of the temple is an innovation emphasising the “Vision” of Moses.

“Untie the shoes from your feet” said God to Moses when he stood before the Burning Bush in Mount Horeb, ” Apodithou ta ipodimata sou” (in Greek, remove your footwear), the priests and preachers would explain to the faithful, analysing the words of God toward Moses. Thus the name “Panagia tis Podythou” (Virgin Mary of Podythou) or “Po’ythou” in the dialect of the people until today.

In the south-east of the church there was the two-level house, the ground level of which was known as the “School of the Podithou Monastery”. Unfortunately it was demolished in 1950.

In 1735 the Russian traveller Vasilios Barsky refers to the monastery of “Podithou”, which he visited. “It ha a small church covered in tiles…” He mentions the harsh and miserable conditions under which the two monks live because of the Moslems, which grab by force foods and drinks.

UNESCO has included the church of “Panagia Podithou” amongst the 10 Byzantine churches of Cyprus that were deemed to be of particular importance and were included in the list of World cultural heritage.

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Panagia Odigitria Church

In the middle of the village, higher above the main road, stands the church of “Panagia Odegetria” (Virgin Mary, the guiding one)

The Metropolitan Bishop of Keryneia, Makarios II, used to call the church as “mikri Faneromeni” (meaning “a smaller version of the Faneromeni church”) so as to emphasise its splendour by comparing it to that of Nicosia’s.

It was constructed in 1930 with donations and voluntary work by the community’s inhabitants.

A built-in plate that is found in the north entrance reports:

“DURING THE TERM OF THE ALL-HOLY METROPOLITAN BISHOP OF KERYNEIA MAKARIOS WAS THIS VENERABLE CHURCH OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD RAISED OVER THE POSITION OF THE OLD CHURCH WITH HIS EXPENSES AND THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE PIOUS CHRISTIANS. THE CONSTRUCTION STARTED ON 2/1/1929 AND WAS COMPLETED 30/10/1930 DESIGN AND SUPERVISION OF ARCHITECT FILIPOS LOIZOS”

The completion of such a structure within a year and a half is a true feat, considering the means of those days.

The built-in plate from its inauguration says:

“THIS CHURCH IS INSTITUTED DURING THE TERM OF METROPOLITAN BISHOP OF KERYNEIA MAKARIOS. WITH DONATIONS FROM EVRIPIDES GEORGIADIS AND HIS WIFE ANNA -FROM STROVOLOS -IN THE YEAR OF THE LORD 1930 MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2 A DAY SUNDAY”

The church’s entire furnishing was completed through donations by the inhabitants and monks that served in various monasteries, especially that of Kykkos. Everywhere one can read, “EXPENSES PAID BY…”.

For example, in the High Altar, ” EXPENSES PAID BY THE PRIEST AND MONK NIKODEMOS KYKKOTIS, FROM GALATA”, “EXPENSES PAID BY IACOVOS ARNOPOULOU”, et al.

Great benefactors of the community and donators of the church are the dear departed Church Steward of Kykkos, Panaretos, the Vicar of Keryneias’s throne, Iacovos Arnopoulos, and others.

The church is divided in three aisles by two series of columns and has a dome. The internal decoration of the church is beautiful, opulent, and imposing. The entire church is decorated with hagiographies.

In the church’s vestry several Holy Vessels, veils, vestments, ancient buckles, censers, a cross, a Gospel from 1745, and other items are kept.

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Kalopanayiotis Village

Kalopanayiotis is located in the evergreen valley of Setrachos river on the northern slopes of the Troodos range. It is one of the fourteen villages of the Marathasa area, the most mountainous area of Cyprus. The village is 70 km away from Nicosia and Limassol and is the first village to come across as one enters the Marathasa valley driving up from Nicosia.

Coming from Nicosia follow the road to Kykko Mon turning left at Astromeritis and right just before Evrichou heading towards Kalopanayiotis – Kykko. Driving up from Limassol the easiest route is to drive towards Moniatis – Saitas turn right just before Moniatis through the village of Kato Amiantos, past Kakopetria and Evrichou and left at the junction 3 km past Evrichou torward Kalopanayiotis – Kykkos.

The area in which lies the village of Kalopanagiotis been known since ancient times but the village did not exist before the eleventh century. According to Mr. Myriantheas (“Studies”, 1991), during the pre-Christian period due to sulphide mineral springs, was hydrotherapy, dedicated to the god Asklepios (Asklepieion), which operated under the protection of the kings of Solon, where later They built the monastery of Ag. Irakleidios and Ag. Ioannis Illuminator. The buildings of spas that seems only used to house the “patient” and the spa was a stone basin that was carved in the position flowing from the thermal waters, the bed of the small “river” Setrachou. Spas can see a visitor today, a few meters away from the monastery, near the Venetian bridge.

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The House of Lavrentios

This was the martyrs’ Lavrentios family house which has been recently restored and converted into a conference and cultural center. Lavrentios was the bishop of Kyrenia who was executed by the Ottoman Turks in 1821. He was born in Kalopanayiotis and lived the first 16 years of his life in the village attending school at the nearby monastery of Lampadistis. The museum of Lavrentios is housed in one of the ground floor rooms whose original character has not been altered.

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The Byzantine Museum

It is situated next to the Lampadistis monastery. Here one can find exhibited ecclesiastical artifax that survived though the centuries in the monastery and the other village churches. All the exhibits have been well maintained and preserved. The building served as the first primary school of the village. It was converted to a museum in October 2000.

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Agios Ioannis Lampadistis Monastery

It is situated on the east side of the Setrachos river opposite the old village center. In 1985 UNESCO included the monastery together with eight other chapels on the Troodos range in the world heritage list. The monastery with its well preserved frescos, icons, wood carved doors etc is one of the most interesting byzantine sites of Cyprus and this together with the six other 13th – 17th century chapels rightly justify Kalopanayiotis being referred to as “the byzantine destination of Cyprus”. The katholicon (monastery church), which is dedicated to Saint Herakleidios, is dated to the 11th century. Among the wall-paintings of the narthex there is an inscription, dated to the 15th century, which describes this church as “katholiki”

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Ayios Andronikos and Saint Athanasia Chapel

This church is a remarkable ancient monument and enjoys the care of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus. It consists of the sanctuary, the nave and narthex. He pointed tiled roof as almost all Byzantine churches of the village and retains a large number of frescoes of the 16th century. Unfortunately, the southern wall of the church collapsed due to poor maintenance and destroyed him and the wall paintings that adorned it.Today we can admire in the west pediment “Dramatic Crucifixion” and the arch of the sanctuary the Virgin between the archangels. In the northern wall there are zones with Saints as the Saints Vechianos, Peter and Paul, Anthony and Savvas Saint Barbara and Saint Friday. The venerated image of Saints Andronikos and Athanasia (13th-14th century) which was stolen in 1936 and found in New York after 70 years is one of the treasures of eikonofylakiou. The church celebrates on October 9.

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