France

Church of St. Cyricus and St. Julitta

Church of St. Cyricus and St. Julitta

Bishop Makarios had the church of Saint Cyricus and St. Julitta built in the 14th century as the inscription on the exterior side of the sanctum indicates. The temple was initially used as a stavropegic monastery as Patriarch Antonios informs us through his Epistle in 1395, while later on the monastery was converted into a parish temple.
The original temple belonged to the architectural type of the cruciformed incircle with dome and was the single sample of such a type of monastery. The dome collapsed over time probably during the 16th century and the temple was transformed into a single–spaced wooden roof core. Specific characteristic of the monument is the plentiful decoration that appears on the three arches at the exterior eastern side of the monument.
Nowadays, only a few samples of the fresco decoration on the scope of the temple are maintained, dating back to the mid-14th century and some at the exterior parts of the western and southern wall dating back to the 15th century. However, a large number of church frescos of the 16th century survive when the temple was painted again by lord Kostis in 1589. There is also a church wall painting of the 17th century depicts Jesus and Mary on their throne.

X