village name village logo and picture
church
 
 

CONTACT US

COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF KOUKLIA
Michalaki Christodoulou 4
8500, Kouklia - Pafos
Tel: 26812812
Fax: 26432501
E-mail: [email protected]

 
 
 

A rather large church made in the 12 th century (1260). It is worth mentioning that Turks inhabited the community along with the Greeks before 1974. According to some information, a pagan temple was standing in this same venue. However, it collapsed due to an earthquake and today's church of the Virgin Mary was constructed in its place with the expenses paid by the villagers. Around the church, to the west and to the south, there are stone-made arches even until today, ruins that is which also testify that perhaps there -in the pagan temple -stood a monastery.

Today's church is located at a small distance of 10 - 15 meters from the temple of Aphrodite. It is in the midst of the village's houses. Externally it is made of stone, taken from the ruins of Aphrodite's temple. The yard's structure is placed at a lower level than that of the surrounding ground and the church's structure is placed even lower.

Internally, the church is enriched with hagiographies. To the right of the icon screen there is the hagiography of Saint Therapontas and -right across from it -to the left of the icon screen there is the hagiography of the faithful donator. One other hagiography bears the representation of Hell, another one at the church's dome of the Almighty, and there is the series of the Prophets and the series of the Twelve Apostles. The icon screen is simple and woodcut. The portable icons of the screen complete the religious wealth of the church. It has two gates, the Beautiful Gate (central) and another one further left from the central one. It is a flat church with no women's loft. The wooden Psalters are also present in its area and the kneeling-desk is at the centre of the main temple, the icon of the Virgin Mary placed upon it. According to some information, the structure seems to be one but a part of it, the main temple and the chancel, is dedicated to Saint Therapontas while the other one to "Panagia Odigitria" (the Guiding Blessed Virgin Mary). The church was later expanded, that is, from the centre of the temple and another 8 meters further from there and so this added part was dedicated to "Panagia Odigitria". One has to pay attention -both internally and externally -to observe this added structure. A liturgy takes place 12 times a year.

 
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