Other Places of Worship

In Larnaka you can worship your God, no matter a Christian Anglican, Armenian, Evangelical, Catholic, Orthodox or Moslem. The Anglican worship at St. Helena’s church at Ag. Elenis Street (tel 24622327), the Armenians at Saint Stefan’s church, Armenian Church Street (tel. 24654435), the Evangelists at Apostolidou-Lenas Street (tel.24657057, 24652331), the Catholics at Terra Santa church (tel.24652858), Orthodox in the numerous Orthodox churches in town, which have regular Services every Sunday 8-9+30am. The Moslems can worship at the historical Beyuk Mosque, Ankara Street, opposite the Larnaka Castle, which is also open for prayers on a regular and daily basis.

Panayia Phaneromeni

A small elegant church of the early 20th century devoted to Virgin Mary on
Phaneromeni Avenue. The present structure has replaced a medieval church on the same spot. The cave underneath served as an early Christian church. This cave was originally a royal monolithic tomb of the town’s prehistoric times, probably Mycenaean Greek. Today a larger Church is built near the older to serve the expanding community of the parish.

St. Joseph’s Convent and Catholic Church “St. Joseph de l’ Apparition”

French emigrants in Cyprus (Conde Brunoni family) founded the convent and the church in 1844. With a beautiful Latin architecture its history and style impose on the nearby Parides Square. The sisters of this French Convent have a long history of philanthropic
services and an invaluable contribution in the education of the city’s young girls, as the convent’s secondary school for girls operated from 1845 till the late 1980’s. The convent was famous for its hospital, which was started by Doctor Joseph Irenee Foblant and sister Sophie Ghambon in the late 19th century and successfully operated till 1922. In front of the church there is a small metal monument devoted by the town to sister Ghambon for her invaluable services.

Franciscan Convent of Terra Santa

This is the church of the Latin community in Larnaka. Franciscan monk Callixte Martel founded the church and the convent in 1596 mainly for hosting Latin pilgrims to the Holy Land. In 1724 another bigger church and convent replaced the first, which were demolished again in 1842 to be replaced by the present church structures. The convent is also known as Santa Maria delle Grazie and its Latin style is one of the best in Cyprus with Renaissance and baroque characteristics. It is on Apostole Mathieu Street, at a short distance from Chrysopolitissa church. The Terra Santa church and its catholic nuns of Italian origin have a long tradition of philanthropic services to the community of the town. They are now running a home for the elder built at the place of the 19th century convent in 1970.

Panayia Chrysopolitissa

Its foundation goes back in the Byzantine times, when a source of the Kition Bishopric mentions its existence in the 12th and 13th centuries. Writings from the archives of the Greek College of Rome confirm that the church had this name in 1638. In 1765 the church is destroyed and was rebuild in its present form in 1768. In 1851 was renovated again and also acquired the present wood engraved, but gold surfaced iconostas. Many of the icons are 16th and 17th century as most of its ecclesiastical furnishing. Situated at the corner of Archie Bishop Kyprianou and Crysopolitissas streets, on a hill that used to be the prehistoric cemetery of the ancient town (12-13th centuries BC). Chrysopolitissa stone church is devoted to Virgin Mary of the “golden-town”, because the prehistoric and rich tombs on this hill were full of gold jewelry and this quarter was known in medieval times as “gold-town” or Chryssopolis. Its elegant bell-tower, recently restored, is of the 19th century.

Church of the Savior

The Metropolitan church of Larnaka was first founded in 1460. In the 1760’s
the Bishopric of Kition was moved here and the church was renovated in 1854. The nicely wood engraved Bishopric throne is of 1783. An icon of Mary with the Child, in Latin style, painted in the 1870’s by Cypriot national poet Vasilis Michaelides, is kept in the church. In the mid 20th century a new building was made to house the Bishop of Kition. From Medieval times till 1973 the Bishop of Kition administered Larnaka and Limassol, as well. The church is at Metropolis Square on Nikodemou Mylona Street.

St. John’s (the old Bishopric)

The church is known to have existed during the Frankish period (13-16th centuries AD). It served as the town’s Bishopric till the middle of the18th century. The present church was built in 1715 and renovations took place in 1853. It is well known for its elegant and unique bell tower, which was reconstructed in the 19th century and it is one of the most artistic on the island. The wood engraved iconostas is of 18th century.

Saint George (Kontos)

The present church and convent of Saint George Kontos is of 1833, but historical sources mention that the church existed at the spot since the 15th century. Some of the icons of the church are dated in 1685 and 1695 confirming the fact that the church existed in the 17th century. The surrounding structures are of 1922 and the monument at the entrance is in honor of the historic Mayor of Larnaka and Member of the Colonial Parliament Dr. Philios Zanettos, who died in exile imposed by the British in 1924. A new church opposite the old was built in 1987 at the exit of Larnaka in the direction of Nicosia.

Saint George Makris

This delegate miniature piece of late Byzantine architecture is probably of the 12thCentury. It is built on a hill along the Phaneromeni Avenue and is the church of
medieval village Agrinou. The village and the church were destroyed by the
Egyptian Mameluks, who invaded in 1426 and also captured the Luzignian King Janos,. The church was soon repaired, the king was let free, but an annual tax was paid to the Mameluks till the Ottoman occupation. In the 18th – 19th centuries the church served as a monastery, but the annexed structures were demolished in the 20th century thus restoring the original setting of the picturesque church. A wall painting of the Saint survives till now on the north wall.