‘Projects’ in pipeline over historic Saint Phanourios cave

There are “projects” in the pipeline over the maintenance and restoration of the historic Saint Phanourios cave near the Kyrenia district village of Ayios Georgios, the bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage’s co-chairman Sotos Ktoris said on Wednesday.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), he said the committee will carry out a series of maintenance and restoration projects on cultural monuments and sites in the Kyrenia district, some of which are “already in progress”.

With this in mind, he said “specific plans” have been drawn up regarding the Saint Phanourios cave.

According to Greek orthodox tradition, when Saint Phanourios was being pursued by the Saracens, he swam on his horse from Anatolia to the site near Ayios Georgios, where his horse died.

He then hid in the cave and was as such saved from his enemies.

The cave was later dedicated to him, and became a pilgrimage destination, while the church which sits above it was built in 1973.

At the cave’s entrance, there are fossilised bones, which are, according to tradition, the remains of Saint Phanourios’ horse.

Meanwhile, scientists believe the bones may have belonged to a pygmy hippopotamus.

Saint Phanourios’ day was on Tuesday, and he is the patron saint of finding lost objects.

The work to be carried out in Kyrenia is one of a number of actions being carried out by the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage at present.

Earlier this month, co-chairman Ali Tuncay had announced that conservation work at the mosque in the Larnaca district village of Alaminos is set to begin in the near future.

Meanwhile,  painted motifs were found on the interior walls of the mosque in the Paphos district village of Terra. The motifs were discovered under the plaster on the walls, with records of the walls having been painted not having previously existed. 

Tuncay said at the time that the motifs “once again reveal how rich a cultural heritage our historical buildings have”.

“Our work symbolises our determination to pass on our historical and cultural values to future generations,” he said.