The Church of Chryseleousa

Published 29th of September, 2018

Wherever you travel in Cyprus, you are never far from a church. Every village has one, and some have several. In our blogs, we've looked at ancient churches, and the highly adorned churches you find in the more populated areas, but we haven't really examined the traditional village church. With that in mind, I am planning a few blogs which will feature such places of worship. So let's start the ball rolling, and travel to Kannaviou to visit this lovely church on the hill.

The Church on the Hill

the_church_of_chryseleousa_01

If you remember our first Paphos Road Trip we passed this church on the way to Kannaviou. The views alone make it worth a visit. Incidentally, we are hard at work on the second road trip, and hope to have it on Amazon before the UK half term, so watch this space for more information on that.

A Small Graveyard

the_church_of_chryseleousa_02

In the grounds of the church there is a small, modern graveyard. I feel I should mention that you should of course treat churches, mosques and other religious buildings and shrines with the utmost respect in Cyprus, and anywhere else for that matter. Regardless of your own feelings, these places mean an awful lot to the people that live in the area, and they should not have to put up with people being disrespectful to their beliefs.

A Modern Church

the_church_of_chryseleousa_03

I couldn't find any information about this church online; not even its name. I had to go back later and photograph the sign at the foot of the hill, then run it through a translator. However I finally learned that it is the Church of Chrseleousa, and, judging by its appearance, is a fairly recent build.

Chryseleousa

the_church_of_chryseleousa_04

The name "Chryseleousa" is also a bit of a mystery. I googled it, and it does appear in the names of a few churches in Cyprus. However, I could find no information about any "Saint Chryseleousa", so perhaps it refers to something else? I know that the main church in Lysos is dedicated to "Panagia Chryseleousa", but no write-up I have found says what that actually is.

Inside

the_church_of_chryseleousa_05

Inside the church, you can see it is has some very nice pictures and wood carvings. One thing I have noticed about a lot of Greek Orthodox churches, is that they have the pews running along the side, by the walls. I am used to front-facing pews. I wonder what the reason for this is?

Page 1 of 3

If you like our blogs and the rest of our content, please consider slinging us a few euros to help us produce more content. Use the Coffee link below if you feel so inclined. Payments are taken on a secure gateway, with no contact!

Related Blogs:

Agios Charalambos

Let's take a little break from flowers. I know that Cyprus looks lovely in the Spring, and that it abounds with colour and life. But it' time to take a break. With the Polemi Tulip Festival fast approaching, and the knowledge that another road trip from Max is just around the corner too, I think we need to look at something without petals.

The Church of Saints Kerykos and Ioulitta

It's time for another guest blog from Max. He's taken a break from enlightening us about crystals and rock formations in the Paphos area, and has gone in search of some interesting church murals in Letymbou.

Sinti Monastery

It's time for another guest blog, and this time Max has taken a break from his minerals to show us somewhere a bit more spiritual. Over to you Max... Sinti Monastery is a very important ancient monument and not far away from Paphos, in the beautiful Xeros River Valley. I thought I would take a round trip. In order that people can visit the place all year round (even after a good Winter's rain) in a normal car I took the longer route over the hills where the roads nowadays are all properly surfaced. On the way back you can either take the same road (Winter) or use the short cut along the Xeros river bed which is only 8 km until the next village Nata.

Simou Church

A few sundays ago we were lucky enough to be visiting Simou when they were preparing for a Christening. The church which is normally locked, was open, so we had a quick look inside, and were stunned with what we found...

Ayios Georgios Koumanon Monastery

The Paphos Countryside is full of surprises. On any journey, you can guarantee that you will pass many interesting places without realising it. However, sometimes, if you go in search of a known location, it can prove elusive. Join us as we stalk this elusive old church through the Diarizos Valley countryside, before finally succumbing to its mysterious charms...

Latest Blog Articles

Latest News Articles