A Larnaka (Church of Agios Lazaros) – Dromolaxia (Mosque of Umm Haram or Hala Sultan Tekke) – Kiti (Church of Panagia Angeloktisti) – Kivisili (Church of Panagia) – Klavdia (Mosque/Church of Agia Ekaterini) – Pyrga (Gothic Church of Panagia Stazousa) – Pyrga (Royal Chapel) – Stavrovouni Monastery.
Fig. 275. Church of Agios Lazaros, Larnaka. “Saint Lazaros the friend of Christ and first Bishop of Kition – the history of the Church in Larnaka” edition by the Church of Agios Lazaros, Larnaka, 1980.
57 kilometres
head westwards and on the banks of the Salt Lake visit the Muslim mosque built on this site in honour of the relative of Mohammed, Umm Haram, who according to tradition died after the Arab raids against Cyprus in the 7th century. Naturally, the present building is more recent, but in its interior there is preserved an immense stone that according to the Muslim faith was originally suspended in the air. Continuing, one may visit the third most important monument in Larnaka District, the Church of Panagia Angeloktisti in the village of Kiti. In the apse of its Holy of Holies this attractive church has preserved mosaics of the Virgin Mary that are one of the most important throughout the Orthodox world. The rest of the edifice dates from the 12th Story of Umm Haram, Hala Sultan Mosque, Larnaka The Emperor Constantinos Porphyrogenitus in his book “Peri Thematon” mentions an Arab raid against Cyprus by Abu Bekr, who was the first caliph of Islam and successor of Mohammed. However, it is more probable that the first raid took place in 647 under the leadership of Moavia. In this campaign Moavia was accompanied by his wife. With him was also Umm Haram, aunt of the Prophet and very close to him. A Muslim source tells us her story: Once when Mohammed was at her house, after finishing eating, he fell asleep and on awaking appeared very pleased. The respectable lady asked him then what the reason was for him smiling so much and he replied “the faithful of Islam will spread a holy war to raise high the word of God and will conquer the islands of the sea and the towns of the coasts and these people will go straight to Paradise”. The saintly woman was pleased at the happy news and asked to travel with the conquerors of the sea. It was thus that Umm Haram found herself in Cyprus, where, near Larnaka at the Tekke where her tomb is now to be found, she fell from a mule and was killed. On this spot the Turks later built a mosque that in winter is reflected in the waters of the salt lake. Fig. 276
“πÛÙÔÚ›· Ù˘ ∫‡ÚÔ˘“ (“History of Cyprus”), Katia Hadjidemetriou, Lefkosia 1982, p. 68.
century, while to the south of this church is attached a Latin chapel built in the years of Frankish rule for the needs of the Frankish conquerors of Cyprus. Following a westerly direction, the Church of Panagia may be visited in the nearby village of Kivisli, which until 1974 had Fig. 277. Hala Sultan Mosque, Fig. 278. Church of Panagia Turkish inhabitants. Despite the Larnaka. Angeloktisti, Kiti village. fact that all the residents of this village were Muslims, this church was never converted into a mosque, as the Muslims of the area had a special respect for the Virgin. In the nearby village of Klavdia, however, the beautiful Church of Agia Ekaterini was converted into a mosque during the years of Turkish rule. Today it has been restored and all the historical phases of the monument can be studied. From the village of Klavdia, crossing a pretty valley towards the interior of the island in the direction of Pyrga, one can visit the great Gothic Church of Panagia Stazousa and subsequently the Royal Chapel in the village of Pyrga with its Byzantine wall-paintings with Latin inscriptions, as well as the Byzantine Church of Agia Marina very close by.
Fig. 279. Church of Panagia, Kivisli village.
Finally, moving from Pyrga the visitor may climb the mountain and worship at the famous Monastery of Stavrovouni, where a substantial piece of Christ’s cross has been preserved, which according to tradition was left by Saint Eleni during her return journey from Jerusalem to Constantinople. Heading from Lefkosia towards Lemesos, one can visit the Royal Chapel in the village of Pyrga with its magnificent Byzantine wall-paintings that have Latin Fig. 280. Mosque/Church inscriptions, however; and, a short distance away, the of Agia Ekaterini, Klavdia village. Byzantine Church of Agia Marina. Subsequently, one may climb up to Stavrovouni and worship at the famous monastery dedicated to Timios Stavros. In the monastery is kept a piece of the cross on which Christ was crucified and which Saint Eleni left during her return journey from Jerusalem to Constantinople. Crossing Lemesos to the west of the city, in the village of Episkopi near to ancient
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