The Holy
Church
of Phaneromeni
Brief background
The Holy Church of Panagia Phaneromeni (Our Lady of Revelation) is situated in the historical centre of Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus. It is the largest Orthodox church within the Venetian Walls of Nicosia.
In Byzantine times a convent used to stand on the site ofthe church and the nuns were known to be weavers of silk wear. It appears that the convent was dissolved after the Ottoman conquest of Nicosia in 1571 with its church becoming a parish place of Christian worship.
According to tradition, the Turks tried to convert the Church into a mosque. However, they abandoned this endeavour as the imams appointed there died shortly after assuming their duties. It is worth mentioning that another attempt at conversion by the Ottoman commander of Cyprus, Kutchuk Mehmet Pasha in 1821 was thwarted by the miraculous intervention of Holy Mary.
A previous church had been built in 1715 as attested by a marble inscription. The erudite Archimandrite Kyprianos (18th century) includes the Phaneromeni Church among the nine Orthodox churches of Nicosia, describing it as “old and most ancient.”
It was constructed in its present form in 1872-73 and inaugurated on 5 June 1911 by the Archbishop of Cyprus, Kyrillos II, with Hadjiconstantis Hadjiharitou as religious sponsor.
The Church celebrates on the 25th of March, feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, and on the 28th of October, feast of Agia Skepi (Sainte of the Holy Refuge).
The architecture of the Church
The Church is a three-aisle basilica with a lantern-type dome incorporating features of western architecture. It is dedicated to Panagia Phaneromeni – Our Lady of Revelation a name referring to the mystery of Divine Incarnation, according to the psalm of the Annunciation feast.
Jutting from the church roof are six rain drains with gargoyles of exquisite craftsmanship, the work of Cypriot stone carvers. The gargoyles depict certain anthropomorphic and zoomorphic symbols derived from the island’s gothic monuments.
The present bell-tower was built in 1937-38 by the contractor Georgios Koursoumbas following the designs of architect Theodoros Photiades in replacement of a previous one.
The interior of the Church
Wall paintings
The few wall paintings adorning the Church are representative samples of the work by Cypriot artist Ioannis Kissonergis and Theodoros Daltas of North Epirus, dating to 1929-1930.
Depicted on the dome are the aged image of the Ancient of Days in the centre with prophets on the circular part and the four Evangelists on the triangular sections. The apse above the Holy Altar is covered by another fresco representing the Holy Virgin as the Platytera ton Ouranon (Our Lady of the Sign) after the celebrated icon of Panagia Blacherniotissa.
The Iconostasis
The iconostasis of the Church is wood-carved and gilded. It features scenes from the Old and New Testaments and dates to the 18th -19th centuries.
The icons that are placed on the screen date from the 16th to the 20th centuries. Most of them are silver plated by the goldsmith Polyvios Kolokos.
The pulpit
The pulpit is the work of wood carver M. H. Taliadoros and bears the icons of the four Evangelists painted by the Cypriot artist Adamantios Diamantis in 1928.
Episcopal Throne
The episcopal throne is another sample of wood carving art by the Cypriot wood sculptor Artemes Papadopoulos.
The Heptakandylos
ΗThe Heptakandylos, a seven-branch intricately-wrought silver candelabrum suspended in the middle of the church, was crafted in 1856 using money that was obtained from the sale of the silver, which Kutchuk Mehmet Pasha had donated to the church following his obstruction by the miraculous intervention of Our Lady to convert it into a mosque. It is the work of goldsmith Hadjioannis G. Eleftheriades.
The Sanctum
The Holy Altar with the exquisite ciborium inside the
Sanctum is a work of exceptional woodcarving art by wood sculptor Artemes Papadopoulos. It depicts scenes from the Holy Passion of Christ.
Placed on the Holy Altar is a silver artophorion (bread stand), one of the finest examples of 20th century.
The Icon of Panagia Phaneromeni
The miraculous icon of Panagia Phaneromeni dates to the 14th century. It was the protective palladium of the previous convent of Panagia Phaneromeni and depicts the Holy Virgin in the style of Odegetria – Showing the Way. The change of name to Phaneromeni must have occurred in the last decades of the 13th century, at the earliest, originating in Byzantium after its restoration from Latin occupation.
The icon bears inscriptions that attribute to it rain-making properties. It is kept within the Sanctum and is brought out into the main church for veneration during the feasts of the Holy Mother of God.
A copy of the icon is to be found on the screen of the Church, the work of the local painter Adamantios Diamantis dating to 1924. This icon bears a silver-golden casing made in 1751 by the goldsmith Hadjilogis.
Church buildings
The Phaneromeni School for Girls
To the east of the church stands the Phaneromeni School, known as “The Phaneromeni School for Girls.” This building was erected by the Church on self- owned land in 1925 and was fully renovated in 2001. It follows a neoclassical style of architecture with a façade resembling an ancient Greek temple. Today it houses the Elementary School and the Gymnasium of Phaneromeni.
The Phaneromeni Library
This is one of the most important buildings of the old town, situated only a few metres to the northwest of the church. The library began to function in 1934. The contents of the library have been moved and are today housed in the Foundation of Makarios III within the Holy Archbishopric of Cyprus.
The offices of the Church
A two-floor building situated on the northern side of the Church houses the church offices. The neoclassical façade of the building is particularly impressive.
OCHEN Sunday schools
Situated on the southern side of the Church is the building housing OCHEN (Union of Orthodox Christian Youth) and the rooms of the Sunday Schools, constructed in 1953-1954.
The Mausoleum of Cypriot National Martyrs
It is an exceptional honour for Phaneromeni to host in its courtyard the monument where the remains are kept of those massacred by the Turks during the tragic events of the 9th of July 1821. They include the bones of the National Martyrs of Cyprus Archbishop Kyprianos, the Bishops of Paphos Chrysanthos, Kitium Meletios, Kyrenia Laurentios as well as those of other prominent clerics and laymen. Forty days earlier, in May 1821, the Turks had put to the sword the foreman of the Phaneromeni Church Oikonomos Leontios.
Kept in the Mausoleum are also the remains of the Foreman of the Church and freedom activist Oikonomos Dionysios Kykkotis, later Bishop of Mareotidos, which were laid in the underground chamber of the Mausoleum in 1981.
Dionysios Kykkotis had taken the lead in the uprising of the Greek Cypriots against British Rule in October 1931, known as the October Revolt, after which he was expelled by the English and died in exile. The Monument was built with Greek marble from Penteli and was completed in 1930 with the unveiling taking place on July 9 the same year.