The church of Panagia Chrysoaimatousa is a charming, imposing building located right in the center of the village.
The Construction of the Church and the First Trustees
The church was built in 1928 during the tenure of Metropolitan Iakovos. Its architectural style is Byzantine cross-in-square with a dome. The architect was Th. Fotiadis and the contractor was Michalis Georgiou. The builders came from Geroskipou and Chloraka. The first trustees of the church were: Nikolaos Christodoulou, P. Ch. Charalambous, Philippos Oikonomou, Panagis Michail, and Konstantinos Charalambous.
The Earthquake of 1953 and the Reconstruction of the Church
The great earthquake of 1953, which primarily struck Paphos, left behind death and ruins, and did not spare the sacred either. About half of the church had collapsed, while the rest was on the verge of falling. To be rebuilt, it had to be completely demolished. However, just a few days before the work was set to begin, the unstable section fell on its own, fortunately without any casualties.
While the church was under repair, the villagers gathered for worship in a makeshift structure they built for this purpose in the churchyard.
After the earthquake, the government allocated three thousand pounds to the Church Committee for the reconstruction of the church. Of course, this amount was very small. Thus, a committee, with Ioannis Oikonomou as treasurer, undertook to conduct a fundraiser throughout the provinces of Cyprus. The other members of the committee were: Georgios Mavronikolas, Georgios N. Pentaras, Father Charalambos Papantoniou, Father Kostas Leonidas, Georgios Oikonomou, Ioannis Vannas, and Eustathios Kleovoulos.
The contractor who took on the reconstruction of the church was Antonis Theoharous (Antonis). Leaving their children in the care of their wives and the protection of the Virgin Mary, the committee members went from village to village in Cyprus with the sacred mission of collecting funds for the reconstruction of the church. Their transportation was handled by Ioannis Vannas, who was one of the first car owners in Chloraka.
The Benefactor Princess Zina Kanther de Tyra
Significant financial assistance was offered to our church by Princess Zina Kanther de Tyra. This great benefactor of our village was not initially willing to provide money. When visited by treasurer Ioannis Oikonomou and Father Kostas Leonidas to ask for help, she did not welcome them warmly due to some misunderstanding. However, when the misunderstanding was resolved, Ms. Kanther promised she would visit the village to inspect the church and make a decision. On the feast day of Saint George, she came to our church. To flatter her, the priest had adorned her with many beautiful words after his sermon. After the service, Ms. Kanther announced to the trustees that she would donate three hundred pounds. Everyone was pleased. Later, she contributed another one hundred and fifty pounds.
The Altar of the Church
The first altar of the church was made of mosaic. About ten years ago, it was replaced by a beautiful wooden carved altar. There are fourteen portable icons, and above them is a narrower band consisting of twenty-eight miniatures. The icons of Panagia Odigitria and John the Theologian have archaeological value and were previously located in the medieval church of Panagia Eleousa.
When it was time to transfer the icon of the Virgin Mary from the medieval church to the new one, no one dared to touch it because they believed that whoever moved it would die. It is said that someone who attempted it in the past lost his life. Only Father Georgios dared, after first praying to the Virgin Mary. However, as he held the icon in his hands, he felt it pushing him backward. Eventually, he managed to take it and place it where it is today. Below the icon of the Virgin Mary, there is an inscription: “Remember, Lady, your servant Loizis and his wife, in the year of Christ A Ψ O Η (1778).” Inside the sanctuary, there is always a red ribbon, known as the belt of Panagia Chrysoaimatousa, which is believed to stop bleeding. Any woman who suffers from bleeding wears this belt and must send back another new belt to the church.
The Churchyard
In recent years, the churchyard has been paved, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that it has become one of the best squares in Cyprus. Various cultural events of the village are hosted there. It is worth mentioning that the square is adorned with the bust of Captain Georgios Azinas, who was killed at the age of 23 on April 1, 1949, in Grammos during the Greek Civil War. The unveiling of the bust was carried out by the National Leader Makarios, who was accompanied by almost the entire Cabinet in December 1963. Additionally, the square is embellished with the statue of the hero of the invasion, Christodoulos Polydochos. Next to the church, there is a hall for ceremonies. Finally, at the edge of the church, there is the old cemetery of the village, which operated until 1960.
