The Amazing Agios Raphael
Votive Offerings

These candles were at the rear of the church. As you can see, the walls are completely covered in murals.

Men on Horses

I like the way they draw the ground. You see it all around the church, and it looks like everybody was standing on a ledge. The alternative would be to just have a line, but I think this looks far more dramatic.
Raised Pulpit

Beautiful. If you haven't yet looked at the virtual tour, please do so. You can see so much more there than we can show in two dimensions.
Looking Up

Towards the rear of the church, the ceiling tells many stories. Speaking of which, let's find out a bit more about the church itself. I found this online:
It is a majestic temple built with a byzantine rhythm, whose construction occurred after a miracle occurred to a resident in the area. Mr Neophytos Socratous had many operations due to a health problem which was not resolved. A lady gave him a book on the miracles that Saint Raphael had done. After reading it he had faith that the saint would help him. One night after incredible pain he prayed to the saint and manages to get some sleep. While he was sleeping, he saw a tall doctor who told him that he would operate on him and that he would be well. He began the operation with the assistance of a young nurse which was no other than Agia Irene. Once the doctor left, the young nurse assured him that he would be ok. He noted the date of his operation down which was the 10th of February 1987. He then wrote a letter to the Monastery of Agios Rapahel in Mytilene in which he mentioned the miracle.
Archangel Raphael At Work?

So, what of St Raphael themselves? What do we know about them?
The following is from Brittanica.com:
Raphael, in the Bible, one of the archangels. In the apocryphal Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) Book of Tobit, he is the one who, in human disguise and under the name of Azarias (“Yahweh helps”), accompanied Tobias in his adventurous journey and conquered the demon Asmodeus. He is said (Tobit 12:15) to be “one of the seven holy angels [archangels] who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy One.” In the pseudepigraphal First Book of Enoch, Raphael is “the angel of the spirits of men,” and it is his business to “heal the earth which the angels [i.e., the fallen angels] have defiled.” The archangels are referred to as numbering seven (e.g., Revelation 8:2 and Tobit 7:15) and are listed in 1 Enoch 1:20 as Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Sariel, Gabriel, and Remiel. Raphael is reckoned among the saints in both Eastern and Western churches, his feast day being October 24. His counterpart in Islam is Isrāfīl.
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eBookCyprus Road Trip 01: the Kathikas - Panagia Loop
Let me take you on a journey around the region of Paphos, Cyprus. Starting at Paphos itself, we travel to Akoursos, then Kathikas, Kritou Terra and Simou. We continue past Lasa and Kannaviou, before taking in the delights of Panagia. Getting a bit more adventurous, we visit the abandoned villages of Statos and Agios Fotios, before passing through Choulou, Letymbou and Polemi, and rejoining the main Paphos - Polis road.
The route is suitable for all types of vehicle, and requires no off-roading. The guide contains about 130 photographs including shots of all the road signs you need to pay attention to, as well as some of the highlights you may experience along the way.
There are also several maps which will help you keep your bearings.
You can do this journey in a day, or you can break it up into chunks. You can also do it in reverse, to get some completely different views. It is entirely up to you.
