Agios Epifanios Chapel, Ayia Napa
The Agios Epifanios Chapel is situated a few kilometres from Ayia Napa towards Cavo Greco. The chapel is dedicated to the Byzantine Episcope of Salamina, Epifanio. The Byzantine Episcope used to go to the area in order to pray, to be inaugurated by vigils and to write his letters.
There is a panoramic view towards Paliachori, a Byzantine community which was destroyed during the Arab raids from 632 until 964 A.D. The wooden cross that can be seen from the road, works as a compass for every visitor. The church is a jewel that combines the panoramic view of Agia Napa and the endless blue of the Mediterranean, attracting the interest of all visitors in the area. This is also the reason why it is the most popular choice for weddings and christenings.
Next to the church one can see the ruins of the older church. A church which began being built by Agio Epifanio, which was not finished due to his death on the 12th of May 403 A.D. During the restoration of the older church the holy water was found, as well as the oil lamp of Agios Epifanios which was missing until then. Later on the foundations of the church that existed with the form of a horseshoe were found, exactly as churches were built then. In 2011, the old church was restored in a way that the floor and the foundation can be seen through glass.
