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Church · Ancient Monument

Chapel of Agios Efimianos

Lysi, Famagusta District · In the area occupied by Turkey since 1974

Chapel of Agios Efimianos: a church in Lysi, Famagusta District, in the area occupied by Turkey since 1974. Protected by Order in Council in 1949.

AchnaGolgoiDhekeliaOrmideia

Famagusta District, about 35°05′ N, 33°41′ E

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The pin marks the village of Lysi, not the building. Approximate location. Open in the map →

Protection

Antiquities Law
  1. 28 February 1949

    Proposed for declaration, No. 88, Second Schedule, Famagusta

    “The Church of Ayios Evphimianos.”

    Supplement No. 3 to The Cyprus Gazette No. 3424 of 28 February 1949, No. 88, The Antiquities Laws, 1935 and 1945: Notice under section 6 (2) (proposed declaration), by the Director of Antiquities (made 28 February 1949), Second Schedule, Famagusta, pp. 121–123 Online

  2. 24 November 1949

    Order under the Antiquities Law, No. 454, Second Schedule, Famagusta

    “The Church of Ayios Themonianos, known as Ayios Evphimianos.”

    Supplement No. 3 to The Cyprus Gazette No. 3470 of 1 December 1949, No. 454, The Antiquities Laws, 1935 and 1945: Order in Council No. 2389 made under section 6 (1) (made 24 November 1949), Second Schedule, Famagusta, pp. 527–529 Online

What was done when

2 records
  1. Undated

    Church of St. Euphemianus at Lysi, Turkish-occupied area; source of 13th-century frescoes stolen and later restored.

    Repair and conservation

    As printed

    “A pair of magnificent 13th century Byzantine frescoes stolen from the church of St. Euphemianus (Ayios Themonianos) at Lysi in the Turkish occupied area of Cyprus”

    Anon., "Byzantine Frescoes Rescued", Cyprus Today vol. 35, no. 1-2 (January–June 1997), p. 78.

  2. Undated

    Dome-hall church about 2 km south-west of Lysi, probably thirteenth century; wall paintings in dome and apse preserved after cleaning by Department of Antiquities.

    Repair and conservation

    As printed

    “The Church of St. Themonianos stands about 2 kilometres south-west of the village of Lysi.”

    Thanasis Papageorghiou, "The Church of St. Themonianos", Cyprus Today vol. 25, no. 3 (July–September 1987), pp. 32–34, p. 32.

In the literature

2
  1. Undated

    13th-14th century church at Lysi; wall paintings now exhibited in Houston, Texas; the church was plundered.

    As printed

    “The Church of Ayios Themonianos, 13th century at Lysi, plundered.”

    Anon., "War and Cultural Heritage", Cyprus Today vol. 43, no. 3-4 (July–December 2005), pp. 58–61, p. 61.

  2. Undated

    Tiny limestone chapel in Lysi; 13th-century frescoes (Virgin with archangels in apse, Christ in dome with 12 angels) were cut out by thieves after 1974 and smuggled abroad.

    As printed

    “Painted in the 13th century, the murals are from St. Evphemianos, a tiny limestone chapel in the village of Lysi in Cyprus.”

    Anon., "Byzantine Frescoes Return to Cyprus", Cyprus Today vol. 50, no. 1 (January–March 2012), pp. 14–17, p. 14.

Sources

  1. 1.Cyprus University of Technology, Apsida (Cyprus University of Technology), creator Union of Occupied Municipalities; Επιτροπή Κατεχομένων Δήμων: «The desecrated Byzantine chapel of Agios Efimianos», via Europeana Online
  2. 2.Cyprus University of Technology, Apsida (Cyprus University of Technology), creator Union of Occupied Municipalities; Επιτροπή Κατεχομένων Δήμων: «The desecrated interior of the church of Agios Efimianos», via Europeana Online
  3. 3.UNESCO and ERA Chairs on Digital Cultural Heritage - Digital Heritage Research Lab Cyprus University of Technology, Apsida (Cyprus University of Technology), creator Byzantine Musuem – Nicosia, Cyprus: «Frescoes of the Saint Euphemianos (Lysi)», via Europeana Online
  4. 4.Supplement No. 3 to The Cyprus Gazette No. 3470 of 1 December 1949, No. 454, The Antiquities Laws, 1935 and 1945: Order in Council No. 2389 made under section 6 (1) (made 24 November 1949), Second Schedule, Famagusta, pp. 527–529 Online
  5. 5.Supplement No. 3 to The Cyprus Gazette No. 3424 of 28 February 1949, No. 88, The Antiquities Laws, 1935 and 1945: Notice under section 6 (2) (proposed declaration), by the Director of Antiquities (made 28 February 1949), Second Schedule, Famagusta, pp. 121–123 Online
  6. 6.Thanasis Papageorghiou, "The Church of St. Themonianos", Cyprus Today vol. 25, no. 3 (July–September 1987), pp. 32–34, p. 32.
  7. 7.Georges Lycourgos, "Consequences de l'occupation Turque sur le patrimoine culturel de Chypre", Cyprus Today vol. 29, no. 1 (January–March 1991), pp. 11–16, p. 12.
  8. 8.Anon., "Byzantine Frescoes Rescued", Cyprus Today vol. 35, no. 1-2 (January–June 1997), p. 78.
  9. 9.Anon., "War and Cultural Heritage", Cyprus Today vol. 43, no. 3-4 (July–December 2005), pp. 58–61, p. 61.
  10. 10.Anon., "Byzantine Frescoes Return to Cyprus", Cyprus Today vol. 50, no. 1 (January–March 2012), pp. 14–17, p. 14.

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