The Heart of Religion
An ethereal and blessed land, Cyprus’s religious roots are both sacred and humbling, as evidenced by the impressive number of monuments of religious devotion that
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Cyprus’s religious roots are both sacred and humbling, as evidenced by the impressive number of monuments of religious devotion that tell the story of the island’s path to Christianity and its deep faith, from inception to the present day. The religious cultural heritage of Cyprus is mainly Christian but with plenty of influences and monuments from other religions is one of the richest in the world.
It is no coincidence that Cyprus the island of beauty, where according to Greek myth the goddess Aphrodite was born was chosen as the first place to receive the great message of the new faith on the advent of Christianity.
The island became the gateway through which the message of the Gospels spread throughout the length and breadth of the Ecumene. The first mission of the apostles Paul and Barnabas (the latter of Cypriot descent) occurred here.
Discover the churches, chapels and monasteries of the island, and immerse yourself in their journey of faith, history and culture. Through their unique structures; the biblical stories told in ancient icons and frescos; rich Ecclesiastical museums, and a Byzantine treasure trove of 10 painted mountain churches so religiously priceless that they are part of the UNESCO World Heritage List - you cannot fail to feel uplifted, and for your heart to fill with enlightenment, serenity and devotion. This holy “choice” that at the same time is a jewel and heritage to this country, is expressed by the plenty of Christian monuments around the island and by the large number of saints with a connection to the island, making it “Cyprus, the island of saints”.
At the same time, Cyprus is from the ancient years a refuge place for the populations of the area. There are plenty and different religious communities besides the Orthodox Christian. Populations of Muslims, Maronites, Armenians nad latinslive in harmony practicing their devotional beliefs freely. Their Monuments and Museums can be found all over the island making Cyprus as the place where everybody is welcome.
An ethereal and blessed land, Cyprus’s religious roots are both sacred and humbling, as evidenced by the impressive number of monuments of religious devotion that
The first stop of this route of Lemesos (Limassol) is in Parekklisia and the Church of Timios Stavros, which houses some very significant frescoes of
This route starts from Cyprus Medieval Museum, which is located inside the Castle of Lemesos (Limassol) and covers a time period of approximately 1,500 years
This route is general, which means that it is neither based on cities nor on districts. Heading west, visitors will visit a large number of
This route follows the steps of Apostles Pavlos and Varnavas starting as follows: Larnaka (Larnaca) – Kiti – Amathounta – Kourio – Pafos (Paphos) –
Having as a starting point the 9th century church of Agios Lazaros, one of the most remarkable examples of Byzantine architecture and where the sarcophagus
This route is very pleasant and covers half of the island. The route: Lefkosia (Nicosia) – Pyrga – Monastery of Stavrovouni – Bishopric of Lemesos
Monasticism and, by extension, asceticism are unbreakably related to Orthodoxy, and the fact that Cyprus neighbours Egypt and Palestine – where asceticism grew – resulted