St. John Theologian's Cathedral in Nicosia, Eastern Orthodox cathedral in Nicosia, Cyprus.
St. John Theologian's Cathedral is an Eastern Orthodox church in the old town of Nicosia, set within the Archbishop's Palace complex. Unlike most Orthodox cathedrals, it has no dome, and its interior is covered by a barrel-vaulted ceiling that runs the full length of the building.
Construction began in 1662 under Archbishop Nikiforos, on the grounds of a former Benedictine abbey that dated to the Lusignan period of medieval Cyprus. The abbey buildings were cleared to make way for the new church, which was consecrated and became the main cathedral of the Orthodox community on the island.
The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Cyprus, making it the most important Orthodox church on the island. Visitors often observe people lighting candles and praying quietly in front of the icons near the iconostasis.
The cathedral sits within the Archbishop's complex in the old town and is easy to reach on foot from the Laiki Geitonia neighborhood. Visitors are expected to dress modestly, with covered shoulders and long trousers, as the building is an active place of worship.
The wall paintings inside include scenes depicting the persecution of Orthodox Christians under Ottoman rule, a subject rarely shown in other churches of the same period. These images were added in the mid-18th century, when such a choice carried a clear meaning for those who worshipped there.
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