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Near St. Anne's...
ROCK-CUT CHURCH
A tendency to turn natural caverns and
the rock-cut chambers which occur in quarries into shrines is observable
all over Cyprus. Pagan tombs such as the Phaneromeni of Larnaca also
attract superstitious usages. This church in the centre of Famagusta
has been formed out of a quarried chamber in the rock on the west side
of the city. The cavern of an irregular square shape forms the bema
or chancel and a nave covered with a pointed baxrel vault has been built
on to its western side.
There is nothing of an architectural character about the built portion.
A cave has evidently been adapted for Orthodox use and remains of XVIth
century mural painting may be detected on walls and vault, also the
marks of the iconostasis can be traced on the rock of the cavern-roof
which seems to belong to a singularly thin stratum.
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