One of Larnaca’s most important landmarks, the church of Agiou Lazarou (Holy Lazarus) was built by Emperor Leo VI in the 9th century on the site of St. Lazarus' tomb. The church bell tower was added in 1857. According to Eastern tradition Lazarus travelled to Larnaca after his resurrection, became the city's first bishop and later died for the second (and last) time on Cyprus. In 890, a tomb was found inside the church under the main altar bearing the inscription "Lazarus the friend of Christ". Emperor Leo VI of Byzantium had Lazarus' remains (or the majority of the remains) transferred to Constantinople in 898 and in recompense, ordered the church to be built over Lazarus’ tomb. The transfer was apostrophized by Arethas, bishop of Caesarea, and is commemorated by the Orthodox Church each year on the 17th of October. The relics were later stolen from Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade in 1204 and transferred to France as part of the spoils of war.
The entrance to the church is decorated with a number of icons and housed inside is a small museum, containing beautiful samples of Byzantine religious art, including old wood carvings, icons and liturgical utensils. Each year, before the Greek Orthodox Easter, the Baroque wooden icon of Saint Lazarus is carried through the town in a procession.
If you wish to enter the church you are required to be dressed respectfully. We have noticed a small selection of shawls available for use outside the main entrance.
The difficulty rating reflects the often poor GPSr reception, the muggle risk and the actual hide.
The cache is wheelchair friendly, but a buddy will be required to retrieve the container.
This is a magnetic nano cache containing just a log sheet, so please bring your own pen/pencil.
Please DO NOT enter the gated area, you CANNOT retrieve the cache from inside. Replace EXACTLY as found and NOT where you think it should be! (We are now fed-up with having to find the container and re-hide it correctly)
FTF honours and congratulations to GEONAPA
1 May 2010
