A church inside a cave!
Ayioi Saranta cave church
Ayioi Saranta cave church
The most unusual and quirky church in Cyprus has to be Ayioi Saranta cave church. It is found in the most unpredictable place you would think of. It is hidden away in a cave in Famagusta / Protaras area. To be more exactly it is perfectly hidden in rugged area close by to Profitis Elias Church. So while hundreds of locals and tourists visit the proud standing church of Profiti Elias, a little bit further down hidden in the wild setting of nature is Agioi Saranta Church.
The name Ayioi Saranta is derived by the Greek meanings of (Agioi) Saints, and (Saranta) Forty, which basically translates to the meaning of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste.
Finding Ayioi Saranta cave church
This Church is hard to find and if you had no idea there was a church there then you would never find it. For those who do want to find it then read on. Just after you turn from Grecian Park Hotel that is found on your right, you will see a sign on your left that reads ‘Moonshine Ranch’, you will turn left here and continue past the ranch. Around 500 meters you will come to a dirt road, continue straight and keep to your left and go for the hills and not for the sea and soon enough the church will be in front of you.
Once you are there you are in for a sight. The door is always unlocked so to allow people to go inside and visit or pray. The door was actually created so as to protect the cave on the inside so as to preserve this church as much as possible.
The inside of the church is not your typical one with and iconostasis or icons and candle lit lights, its actually a cave that has been white washed in areas to add icons and a sort of iconostasis. The only man made thing in the church is the floor, white paint and the dome up top, so apart from these everything else is by mother nature.
