Observers visit Kyrenia monastery with renovations ongoing

Observers from the United Nations Development Programme on Monday visited the Panayia Apsinthotissa monastery, located between the Kyrenia district villages of Sychari and Vouno, with renovation work ongoing.

The UNDP reported that conservation works at the monastery are “moving ahead as planned”, with current activities including “fresco consolidation and timber treatment at the main church”, as well as “organic growth control and roof reinforcement in the refectory”.

It added that repairs are also being carried out to masonry in the west wing’s ruins, while parts of the eastern perimeter wall are being reconstructed.

The project is being overseen by the bicommunal technical committee on cultural heritage, and is being funded by the European Union.

The monastery was most likely established in the 11th or 12th century, with chroniclers having stated that Queen Catherine of Cyprus, the last Lusignan monarch of the island, worshipped there in 1486, thus implying that the monastery belonged to the church of Rome.

After the Ottoman conquest of the island in the following century, the monastery became the property of the Orthodox patriarchate of Jerusalem, and was subordinate to the nearby Ayios Chrysostomos monastery in Koutsoventis.