Restoration works on the frescoes and the wooden carved iconostasis of the historic Monastery of the Apostle Varnavas in Engomi, Famagusta, has been completed.
According to Dr. Sotos Ktoris, Greek Cypriot Co-Chair of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, in addition, maintenance and waterproofing works of the roof were also completed so as to protect the monument from moisture and deterioration.
The frescoes, he notes, are the work of the early 20th century by the three monk brothers Chariton, Stefanos and Varnavas, originally from Afania, and depict scenes from the ecclesiastical tradition regarding the finding of the relics of the Apostle Varnavas and its connection with the recognition of the autocephaly of the Church of Cyprus.
The project was co-financed by the European Union and implemented under the supervision of the UNDP.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively. Following the Turkish invasion many historical and religious monuments were destroyed.