Asinou - Panagia Phorbiotissa, Byzantine church in Nikitari, Cyprus

Panagia Phorbiotissa is a barrel-vaulted church with an apse, built in the early 12th century, about five kilometres south of Nikitari. A domed narthex with apses on the south and north sides was added in the late 12th century. The church has always had a wooden roof; the present one was built in 1959. Its frescoes date partly from the early 12th and partly from the 14th century.

The monastery of Forvion was founded in 1099, and the church was painted in 1105/1106 under Emperor Alexios Komnenos, as recorded in a donor inscription naming the magistrate Nikolaos Ischirios. The monastery operated until the Ottoman period and was abandoned in the 18th century, leaving only the katholikon standing.

The name Forviotissa may come from the spurge plants (Euphorbia) that grow around the church, while Asinou may refer to the ancient settlement of Asine in the Argolis. Inside, the donor inscription on the south wall names the magistrate Nikolaos Ischirios and dates the painting to 1105/1106, under Emperor Alexios Komnenos. In the narthex, Anastasia Pharmakolytria is shown holding a medicine jar beside a cross.

Visitors should know that the interior is relatively dim, and bringing a light source can help see the frescoes more clearly. The church sits on a mountain road and requires a short walk from the nearest parking area.

The narthex was added in the second half of the 12th century and displays architectural elements inspired by Constantinople. This spatial addition includes donor portraits that record who funded this expansion of the original structure.