Micro Churches of Cyprus Series
Well the UK have the hugely popular 'Church Micro Series'...so why not have our own Micro Church series! There are plenty of lovely, random, neglected, well-kept, tiny and even not so tiny roadside churches dotted around our lovely island, so I thought why not have a series to celebrate them!
Agioi Anargyroi Church, Agioi Vavatsinias / Sxinia ton Agion
This cache is actually hidden not at the church, but at the site of a Holy Water Spring and the site of an ancient tree - Sxinia ton Agion - which two visiting saints Saints Anargiron Kosmas and Damianos used to tie their horses to.
The exact location of the holy water spring is thought to be, according to tradition, where the Saints took their horses to quench their thirst. Believers consider the holy water to be thaumaturgic because of its therapeutic properties.
The community honours the two Saints by preserving the tree known as “sxinia ton Agion” where the Saints used to tie their horses. Moreover, there has been the construction of an ecclesiastical monument where the tree is located.
Further up the road in the village, is the actual church -
Church of Ayioi (Saints) Anargiroi in Agious Vavatsinias
According to tradition, the village Agii Vavatsinias was visited by the thaumaturge Agii (Saints) Anargiroi. The church built in the 19th century.
The church of Agii Anargiroi, Kosmas and Damianos, is built in the centre of the village where an old church used to be. The church was built in 1871 on the base of an old church, which was built in the 16th century. The new church, which is extant until today, was dedicated to the two Saints at the end of the 19th century, in specific in 1893.
Internally, the church is impressive. The graven iconostasis is decorated with icons that impress with their vivid colours. This unique iconostasis was engraved by the craftsman “Mihail ex Idaliou” (Michael from Idaliou). The church is also decorated with wonderful frescoes.
Next to the sanctuary’s entrance, there is a fresco depicting Saint George while on the inside walls of the sanctuary there is a fresco depicting Abrahams sacrifice. Unfortunately, this fresco is partly destroyed because the wall it is painting on had undergone corrosion.
According to the village’s priest, some of the icons, which were recently discovered, probably belong to the 16th century or even to previous centuries. These icons, according to the village’s priest, were buried next to the church for centuries and were found after the priest’s initiation.
The excavation to find the icons was based on an ancient oral story. For years, priests had reported stories on the church’s building. By the time the new church was built, the foundations of the old church were gradually dismantled. As a result, by the time the old church was completely demolished whatever remained inside it was left exposed and was finally buried in the parvis of the new church. The village’s priest based on the statements of other priests started excavating and came across the icons. These icons, which probably belong to the 16th century, will be maintained by the appropriate services after the village’s priest suggestions.
An Italian chair, created during the 16th century is very impressive but is in dander of being destroyed because no one has preserved it, despite its historical value.
The Cache
The Cache is a small container camoflagued with the surroundings. Please replace as found. Parking is available across from the church.