Ayios Ioannis
Just three km from Agros is the charming, semi-circular
village that took its name from Ayios Ioannis (Saint John) Lampadistis
who lived there for a while.
Ayios loannis is situated on a rugged slope on the Papoutsa hills,
at a height of 880 metres above sea level. Its location is south
east of Agros, at a distance of 37 km from Limassol.
The history of the village can be traced back to the 12th century.
Continuous development over the past 100 years has turned Ayios
Ioannis into one of the biggest villages in the area. According
to village lore, Ayios loannis Lampadistis stayed for a while in
the village, and subsequently a church was built and named after
him. Until the end of the 17th century, Ayios Ioannis was considered
as the protector of the village.
Around the 17th century the church of Archangel Michael (St Michael)
was built in the village and the thaumaturgic ton of the Saint was
transferred thert The icon had been found in the ruins of an oid
chapel at the 'Alonakia' a few years previously. Since then, Archangel
Michael has been regarded as the patron saint of the village. His
saint's days are celebrated on 6 September and 8 November with a
big festival attended by believers from different pats of Cyprus.
The wooden carved iconostasis of the church is of great interest.
In 1921, when Nikodemos MyIonas was Bishop of Kition, Construction
began nearby on another church in honour of the Archangel Mihael
it was completed in 1933.
A delightful Characteristic of the Village is the preponderance
of fruit trees - mainly peach, apple, pear and almond. The traditional
style houses that hug the hillside form a visual amphitheatre and
seem, from a distance, almost to stand on top of one another. The
picturesque scene is completed by the shady vines that are trained
to cover the quaint courtyards.
The inhabitants of the village are very hard working, warm-hearted
and hospitable people. The orchards and vineyards that flourish
in the stony and infertile soil are testament to years of patient
labour.
The recently renovated Church of Ayios loannis Lampadistis, the
numerous nature trails and the traditional fountain are of special
interest to visitors. And making the village even more attractive
is the worthwhile project initiated recently by the Immigrants and
Friends Association including tiled public squares, a playground,
green areas and athletic facilities.
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