The existing church of Agios Larazos was built over the remains of two earlier churches.Archaeological excavations in the enclosure and inside the church also revealed sarcophagus made of marble, box-shaped tombs and other artefacts.ĭuring the 15th-16th century, a gothic porch was added along the church’s south wall and the current bell tower was built during the 17th century. Sources mention that he was buried in a marble Larnaca which had an inscription on it which stated: The four day Lazaros and friend of Christ. After his rising Agios Lazaros fed to Cyprus where he met with Apostles Paul and Varnava who made him Kition’s first Bishop and Patron Saint in 33 AD. The relationship of the saint with the apostles on the island was close. Saint Lazarus was considered to be a good friend of Jesus Christ and who was also resurrected from the dead. The crypt with the tomb of Saint Lazarus is located beneath the church. In 1734 when the Russian monk visited the church the domes had already been destroyed. According to another version, the domes where ruined by an earthquake however it is unknown when it occurred. According to tradition a Turkish officer ordered the demolition of the domes due to the fact that when he entered to port of Larnaca he mistook the domes as being a Turkish temple and he prayed. The three domes do not exist today as they were demolished during the Turkish occupation. The church is completely made of stone, it has three rooms with three domes on the middle room. The church was built on the tomb of the saint, during the 10 th century sponsored by the Emperor Leonta the VI, as a return for the transfer of the relics of Saint from Kitio to Istanbul. It was built by the Byzantine Emperor Leo VI in exchange for the transfer of the Saint’s relic to Constantinople.Īfter Agios Lazaros came to Cyprus her was ordained as the Episcope of Kiti by Apostles Paul and Varnavas, where he remained until his death. The Church of Agios Lazaros, the protector of the Larnaca district is built on the coastal zone of the town and forms one of the most important monuments of Cyprus.Īgios Lazaros Church is situated in the centre of Larnaca and is the primary place of worship of Agios Lazaros in Cyprus. It is dated in the early 10th century and is one of the most significant Byzantine monuments of Cyprus.
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