Antiphonitis, Byzantine church in Kyrenia District, Cyprus.
Antiphonitis is a Byzantine church in Kyrenia District featuring a large central dome supported by eight pillars. The narthex and arcade were added during the fifteenth century, expanding the original structure.
The church was built in the twelfth century as the katholikon of a Greek Orthodox monastery, on the site of a natural spring at the head of a valley. The narthex and south arcade were added later, probably in the fifteenth century under the Latin church. The irregular shape of the dome is perhaps due to damage from the 1222 Cyprus earthquake.
The name Christ Antiphonitis means "Christ who responds"; a tradition tells of a debtor cleared before an icon that answered. Pilgrims scratched records into the lower frescoes in the 18th–20th centuries, mostly in Greek with a few in Ottoman Turkish script, with dates such as 1803, 1888 and 1958.
Access is via mountain roads near Kalograia village, which require careful navigation and take time to drive. Visitors should be aware the location is remote and plan accordingly for travel time.
The church preserves graffiti scratched into its lower frescoes by pilgrims in the 18th to 20th centuries, mostly in Greek with a few in Ottoman Turkish script. Dated examples include 1803, 1888, 1891, 1896, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1910, 1911, 1919, 1930 and 1958, recording ordinary Cypriots who visited the building.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,998 contributors worldwide.