Travel to Cyprus: The first Episcopal church

Travel to Cyprus: The first Episcopal church of Late Roman Nea Paphos.

The early Christian basilica of Chrisopolitissa was brought to light around the church of Ayia Kyriaki by the excavations undertaken by the Department of Antiquities, under the direction of the former Director, Mr. Athanasios Papageorgieou, that were conducted from 1971 until 1989. Chrisopolitissa is one of the largest Early Christian basilicas of Cyprus, and was the first Episcopal church of Nea Paphos from the end of the 4th century up to its abandonment in the mid-7th century. It is erected in the priphery of the roman core of the city, northwest of the East gate of the city's walls and south of the Hellenistic / Roman theatre.

The ground plan of basilica is irregular probably because of pre-existing urban axis or due to an earlier building of unknown form and function. Architectural members of earlier roman edifices were used in the construction of the basilica , mainly from the nearby theatre which was already abandoned at the time of construction of the Episcopal Church.

This church was demolished around 1500. During the 13th or 14th century, to the north of the five-aisled basilica, a gothic church is built, probably the Latin Cathedral of Paphos which was abandoned in the early Ottoman period. The church of Ayia Kyriaki was build in the 16th century to the northeast of the large basilica. Archaelogical invastigation brought to light numerous medieval graves around the church, which were enriched by local and imported ceramic ports and by other personal objects.