A' Religious Route

A' religious route- General Description

The first religious route is an educational activity suitable for everybody (for families with young children, students, adults) and especially for ecclesiastical tourism, which enables travelers to be informed about important aspects of the religious history of Cyprus.

This route is proposed to be completed by road and can be carried out without the help of a guide, but the presence of a guide may provide more complete information about the historical events concerning each religious site. In addition, due to the relatively close distance between the sites of this route, it is possible to complete it within the same day.

Due to the mild weather conditions that usually prevail in Cyprus, the route can be carried out all year round.

A' religious route- Detailed description

For travelers based in the urban centres of Nicosia or Larnaca,  it is suggested that the starting point of the route is the village of Agios Theodoros, while for those based  in the urban centres of Limassol or Paphos, the village of Tochni is suggested (following a reverse route).

In the village of Agios Theodoros, travelers have the opportunity to visit the Agios Theodoros Tyron basilica, which dominates the entire community. Then, one can visit the church of Agios Athanasios Pentaschonitis and the chapels of Agioi Anargyroi, Kosmas and Damianos, as well as Panagia ton Astathkion, with a rich religious history.

In Lefkara one can visit the  magnificent church of the Holy Cross (Timios Stavros), which dates back to the 14th century. The wood-carved iconostasis characterizes the church, which was created in 1760 AD and in which there is an unseen crypt where the Cross with the silver lining is kept, which bears a piece of the Holy Cross, according to custom. According to custom, the Cross in Pano Lefkara was reportedly transferred to the village by Agia Eleni (Saint Eleni) when she visited Cyprus.

Finally, in Tochni village, there is the church of Agion Constantinou and Elenis, which was founded by Agia Eleni (Saint Eleni) herself in 327 AD upon her return from the Holy Land.

The route may well be extended, with a total duration of 2 days. In this case, travelers are expected to spend the night in one of the local agritourism accommodation and dine in one of the dining areas in the area, continuing the next day with the second route of experiential activities.