According to the testimony of the priest of Alektora, there were few ruins of the aforementioned church in the northwest of the Alektora community in the Stavros region until the year 2020. Then they vanished. They were likely used as construction materials.
On a ridge on the north-eastern side of the road to Platanistia, a short distance from the village centre, are the ruins of the church of Agia Anna, which was in use by Christians until the early Ottoman Empire.
The temple was literally buried in the earth, and only a portion of a stone semi-dome with a faintly visible fresco was visible. Several of the locals were aware of its existence and made various suppositions about the structure being buried for centuries, but no one was genuinely interested in bringing it to the surface. This continued until June 2009, when the excavation was initiated on the initiative of the village vicar, based on a girl’s dreams in which Agia Anna appeared. He contacted the appropriate authorities beforehand.
His efforts quickly bore fruit: a semi-circular room with a partially collapsed semi-domed roof and a step above the main temple. The remains of the frescoes and the stone-built Holy Prothesis on the left side of the Holy Step. On the south side was the entrance to the temple, with earthen steps leading to its egress.
The temple is sequentially connected to the ruins of two rectangular chambers. According to the priest, a monastery formerly existed in the region. If in the future there is a greater level of interest from the relevant authorities, perhaps we will discover the truth about these ruins that not only inspire our imagination but also move us with their presence.
For the reader’s information, it is noted that this church, Agia Anna, was opened after centuries by the priest who brought it to light on August 29, 2010, in a highly emotive environment.
According to the oral accounts of locals, a modest church dedicated to Saints Constantine and Helen stood southwest of the village, in close proximity. Prior to 1980, the area contained columns that presumably belonged to the tiny church. Unknown as to what became of them.
The other source specifies a chapel dedicated solely to Agios Constantinos, located north-east of Lakkos tou Fragos near the church of Agios Kassianos, north-east of Forest Radis very close to the Limassol and Paphos borders. There is no information regarding the history of the abandoned church.
Possibly Agios Constantinos of Alamanos, who is also mentioned by Leontius Machira, is the only saint to whom the sanctuary is devoted.
A short distance from the Ottoman mosque and adjacent to the Ottoman monument bearing the name HÜZÜRÜ (HUZURI) SULTAN TOMB stands the Church of Agia Anna, which was constructed in accordance with a simple architectural design and with inexpensive materials after the invasion in order to fulfil the religious obligations of the refugee residents of the community. The structure has a semi-hexagonal arch and a bell tower. The bell tower is a metal structure located in the northwest corner of the church’s atrium. The roof is constructed of wood and coated with tiles. The original roofing material was tin. The main entrance is located to the north, and there are three other doors: two to the south (one of which is the sanctuary’s door), and one double door to the west. The iconostasis is made of wood and contains numerous contemporary images of Saints. Later, a mansion-like structure was added behind the temple, the enclosure was fenced in, restrooms were constructed, a small garden was designed, and trees were planted. The modest church in the village may lack grandeur, but it serves the residents’ religious requirements adequately. You may ponder why the church is named after Agia Anna rather than another Saint. Learn that the parish church of the former Christian community of Alektora was dedicated to Agia Anna, one of the holy persons who were called to serve the divine plan for the salvation of humanity through the incarnation of God, as reported by residents of the neighbouring villages, particularly Pissouri. Agia Anna is especially revered within the Alektora community. The church commemorates the Theotokou conception on December 9 and her Assumption on July 25. She is also recognised on September 9 alongside her spouse Joachim.
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According to the information provided by the village priest, Kostas Lanitis constructed a small church in outstanding condition in the Lakkos tou Fragos region. This small chapel is only open once a year, on Easter Sunday. Anyone who attends the service on that day will have the opportunity to sample Pissouri ”flauna”, fresh ”halloumi”, and ”anari”, offered by an elderly lady from Pissouri bearing the saint’s name. This is a unique occasion. The entire landscape and location, along with the image’s multitude of elements, are reminiscent of something by Papadiamantis. It is worthwhile to visit this location whose appearance varies with the seasons.
On the northern side of Alektora, the ruins of a modest church dedicated to the young Saint can be found. Officially, he is referred to as Agios Georgios the Mounter. It is unknown when it was constructed and when it was abandoned, but it cannot be ruled out that the presence of the Saint’s church was a source of consolation and hope not only for Christians but also for some Muslim locals who believed in him.
We can even presume that on April 23 and November 3, the days on which the Church honours his memory, believers would come reverently with offerings to pray for their health and the success of their agricultural work, as this was the primary occupation in the region for centuries.
About three kilometres north-northeast of the village, in a place called Glyfia (“Glyfia” refers to a place with “slick” water), where the boundaries of Alektora meet the boundaries of Platanistia-Archimandrita, are the ruins of the church of Agios Kassianos, as well as the cave where he lived as an ascetic, on the north wall of the church. This Saint is mentioned by a 15th-century AD Cypriot historian. In his Chronicle, Leontios Macheiras writes, “Towards Alektora in a place called Glyfian is the cemetery of Agiou Kassianou and his body, and on September 16 they celebrate.” He is one of the 318 “Alamanous” saints of Cyprus, who migrated from Palestine to the island after its occupation by the Saracens (in the first half of the seventh century A.D.) and lived as ascetics in various locations until their deaths. Others assert that the “Alamanous” arrived on the island after the first crusade (at the end of the eleventh century) and that the overwhelming majority of them were Greek mercenaries of the crusaders. (According to Andros Pavlidis, the name Alamanoi is derived from the designation “alomenoi,” which means “wanderers,” referring to those who arrived in Cyprus from elsewhere and wandered around the island until they found a place to reside. The name derives from the ancient word “alomenoi= to wander, or from the verb “alomenoi” which means to depart or withdraw. The ruins in the above-mentioned area of the village attest to the existence of a monastery, which, like others, may have served as an observatory. Inside the sanctuary of the monastery, a small gate led to the cave – hermitage, which was enclosed by a cave enclosure. In this area, which is darkened by the many candles lit by the devout in the past in honour of the Saint, there is also a low, plaster-walled hollow to the left, as the ancient Christians constructed it. To this day, it is believed to have contained the saint’s remains. In his chronology, Leontios Macheiras notes that the Saint’s tomb and shrine existed in the 15th century. Fragments of frescoes can be seen to the left of the alcove of the holy step, indicating that this tiny church was frescoed. Agios Cassianos must have been a miracle worker, but in his temple there were likely (unfortunately lost) performances depicting his life and miracles. About 400 metres to the southeast of his hermitage is a well. This well was opened later, as reported by locals, whereas during the time of the Saint there was water on the surface and the stone-built conduit that led the supplied water closer to his hermitage on the southern slope of the hill is still intact. The faithful, who had come to venerate the Saint’s remains, would undoubtedly regard this water as sacred after he had slept. Also mentioned by Leontios Machairas is a second Saint with the same name who was an ascetic and was buried in the adjacent village of Avdimou. If you decide to visit this holy site, be aware that access with a low vehicle will be challenging. Prefer a tall vehicle with four-wheel drive, or leave your vehicle at the closest point and complete the route on foot while donning suitable footwear. You will be able to experience fresh air, vegetation that changes with the seasons, and a beautiful view of Archimandrita, Alektora, and Pisouri.
As the village was once inhabited by Christians who constructed places of worship for their religious requirements, several church ruins can be found outside and around the village. According to the oral testimony of an archaeologist who has worked for some time in excavations in the area of Radini, near Aphrodide Hill, forty sites where churches were constructed are dispersed across the territory of Alektora. As the ruins of some sanctuaries have been identified and remain visible today, this information can be corroborated to some extent. The sanctuaries of Agios Kassianos, Agios Georgios, Agios Konstantinos, and Agia Eleni, as well as the church of Agia Anna, are better known to residents today. Unknown is the exact date of their construction and demise. Most likely, they were abandoned when Muslims settled the region.
