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Panagia Chryseleousa Church
Panagia Chryseleousa Church

Located in Empa village, 3km north of Pafos (Paphos), the Church of Panagia Chryseleousa is actually a combination of two churches and is a stone-built structure with three aisles and two domes.

The eastern section was first built as a cruciform church with a dome in the 12th century, possibly on the ruins of an earlier Christian basilica. An extension was made to the west with a domed building of the cross-in-square type later on in the 13th century.

The church retains its rare wall paintings of the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th centuries, with one of the most interesting depicting the miracle of fishing. Other ecclesiastical treasures include 15th and 16th century portable icons. Among them is a noteworthy icon of Jesus Christ holding a Gospel with his left hand, and a fine icon painted on two panels with six of the Apostles on each panel.