Ayios Epifanios is a beautiful church that oversees the whole area of Ayia Napa. A spot worth visiting. Saint Epifanios was a great teacher of Christianity in Cyprus.
You can visit this chucrch while you exit Ayia Napa heading for Gavo Greko. While driving you can set mark on the great wooden cross, which is indicating the place of the temple. Right beside the church the ruined foundations of the old church lay there. The view of this vantage point, is spectacular. You can observe the whole village of Ayia Napa with the vast blue of the sea as a background.
The church is dedicated to the byzantine Bishop of Salaminas, Saint Epifanios. According to the local folklore, the Saint was visiting the place of the Temple, to pray and perform rituals while he was writing his famous letters. Therefore, at this place, the old temple has been built, which collapsed on 1957. On top of the old ruins the villagers of Ayia Napa built the Chapel, and right beside the Chapel, the new Church of Saint Epifanios was founded on 2008.
Saint Epifanios was borned in a village of Eleftheroupolis in Palestine on 310 AC, from Judaean parents who worked as farmers. The local folklore though believes that Saint Epifanios was borned in Kalopanayiotis, Cyprus. After the death of his parents the Saint was a pilgrim in the desert of Palestine, next to other prominent pilgrims which to whom, proved of his greatness. His fate though guides him to Constantia (current Salamina, Cyprus), after the ship he was on board, destined to Palestine, diverted to Cyprus. At Salamina Saint Epifanios was to become bishop on 367 AC, where he acted in favor of Christianity, while he was fighting Heretics with fiery speeches and anti-heretic letters.
The Saint started building the Great Basilica Church that of which haven’t managed to see it finished due to his death. The Great Basilica Church ruins are visible even today. The Saint Epifanios of Contantia, along with other bishops was part on the 2nd Ecumenical Conference. He died while on sea heading to Constantinople on 12th of May 403 AC. Leon the Wise carried his sacred remains to Constantinople.
The saint performed many miracles, including the cure of the daughter of the Persian ambassador, the resurrection of the dead son of the King of Persia and the cure of the handicap legs of the emperor Great Theodosios.
The church is of a great beauty, visited by many who love religious and cultural expeditions. It is dedicated to a Great Saint of Cyprus that his memory is greatly honoured on the 12th of Many.
