Random Photos

This time I thought I would just publish some pictures that seem interesting. One of them is of the place where we get our drinking water in the Troodos Mountains. It is a beautiful drive into the mountains north of Limassol about 35 kms. The water comes out of the side of the mountain. A couple of pictures are of a Greek Orthodox church in Larnaca. It is called Lazarus's Church. It is the same Lazarus that Christ raised from the dead. He, as legend says, came to Cyprus and was the bishop for 30 years. The Greek Orthodox built a church in the ninth century over the tomb where he is buried. We went into the basement of the church and saw two concrete vaults where he was supposed to have been. The Greek Orthodox church built buildings and monasteries in the ninth to the 14th centuries wherever there was history of the the early Christians throughout Cyprus, Greece, and much of Asia Minor. A couple more pictures are of a new site being built near the Rocks of Aphrodite. It is being advertised as the temple of Aphrodite. It is not quite finished. It has a great view of the sea.

A visit in Antiquity

In other words we went to see some really old stuff. Last week for our senior couple meeting, the three senior couples went to the northeast section of the island. This is a little history lesson, and there is a lot of history about the Island of Cyprus. In 1974 Turkey invaded Cyprus. There was quite a war. Nearly 20,000 people were killed and tens of thousands were displaced. Greek Cypriots living in the Turkey occupied territory were forced to leave everything they owned and move to the south. The Turkish Cypriots who lived in the south moved to the north and left their homes. Today the Turks occupy the northeast 20% of the island. The Greek Cypriots occupy the rest. In between is a buffer zone controlled by the United Nations Forces. People can travel between the north and south, but have to pass through check points.

After getting through the check stations, we hired a seven-person taxi and drove east to the ancient village of Salamis. When you read the Book of Acts, the thirteenth chapter, you will read about Paul and Barnabas landing at Salamis on the Island of Cyprus. They then traveled to the village of Paphos. Barnabas was born in Salamis, but grew up in Jersulem and became a follower of Jesus. Greek Orthodox tradition says he was the bishop of the church in Salamis. He died as a martyr at the stake there. He was buried with a hand-written copy of St. Matthew's gospel. There is now a Greek Orthodox church which is called The monastery of St. Barnabas which has been a museum for decades. Located on the property is a smaller building which is a shrine to Barnabas and the location of his crypt.

The Apostle Paul was in the Village of Paphos

In the thirteenth chapter of Acts it tells of an experience the Apostle Paul had in the village of Paphos on the Island of Cyprus. There are also local legends about the Apostle Paul being whipped or beaten in Paphos. In the old part of the village near the waterfront is an old ruin and a post appearing to be marble called the "Pillar of Paul" where the beating was supposed to have taken place. Friday, after a district meeting in Paphos, the elders from Limassol and we stopped by the "Pillar of Paul." (If you click on the pictures they will enlarge so you can read the information on the signs.)

It does rain in Cyprus

The pictures are taken from the veranda outside our bedroom and one from street level. It did not rain a lot or for a long time, but it sure found its way down the street in front of our building.