situated west of the Lambousa Ruins, is renowned as one of the most important historical structures in Cyprus. The word Ahkiropletos means ‘built untouched by human hand.’according to legend, the whole building was brought over by the Virgin Mary from Anatolia in one night as it was under threat of being destroyed and trashed by pagans. The miracle creating ‘sacred handkerchief of Saint Veronica’ was inscribed in an icon in the church. Along side this, according to an old Cypriot legend, Jesus’ Shroud was also housed here. The Shroud was transported by the place prince and was handed over to Turin Cathedral where it is found today. Whatever its history may be, the church has been, up until today, one of the oldest structures found in the country.
ST. Evalios Church
St. EValios Church can be found at the centre of the Lambousa ruins. Evalios was one of the first settlements of the ‘Sea of Lapithos’. But this structure, belonging to the 15th century, has fortunately been preserved in a good state. The most attractive characteristic of its interior are the separate grey cipollino marble columns which serve to hold up the passage in the large central area of the church. The three columns have been painstakingly and carefully sculptured to match the circumference of the fourth one, also the upper part of this structure has been embossed with a Byzantine Cross. This church is situated on the coast, north east of the Ahkiropietos Monastery. Its architectural characteristics are a combination of Gothic and Byzantine styles. The existing church, belonging to the Early Christian period, is believed to have been built over the remnants of a large church. One of the columns of the arch belonging to the old