Located in the village of Geroskipou, this interesting 9th century Byzantine church is a five-domed, three-aisled, barrel-vaulted basilica, making it one of only two such churches on the whole island, and a significant example of Byzantine architecture.
The beautiful interior wall paintings date to various periods, from the 8th-15th centuries. A monochrome reddish cross, painted directly on the stone, is of an earlier type and was revealed during restoration works. This type of cross is usually dated to the Early Christian period, up until the 8th-9th century.
Apart from its frescoes, the church also contains a rather significant portable, double-sided icon, dating to the 15th century. The Virgin Mary is depicted on one side, and the scene of the Crucifixion on the other.
According to tradition, the name Geroskipou (‘sacred garden’ in Greek) derives from the sacred gardens of the Goddess Aphrodite, which were located to the south of the village towards the sea, at the point where the ancient pilgrims began their journey to the sanctuary of Palaipafos (old Pafos). As such, the church may stand on the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to Aphrodite, although it could also originally have been dedicated to Timios Stavros (the Holy Cross). Today, it is dedicated to the Christian martyr Agia Paraskevi.
Region: Pafos (Paphos)
Address: Geroskipou village, 3km east of Pafos
Contact No: Tel: +357 26 821 000
Operating Hours: Monday – Saturday: 08:30 – 13:00 / 14:00 – 16:30
Sunday visits can be arranged upon request.
Operating Period:All year round.
Entrance Fee: Free
Opening and closing times as well as entrance fees, are subject to alterations without notice. Visitors are advised to check before visiting.
Courtesy of the CTO
