Nicosia is not just the capital of Cyprus, but also the spiritual centre of the island. In this city is located a huge number of Christian temples and churches. Thus, one of these shrines is the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, located in the heart of Nicosia on the territory of the old city.
The cathedral was erected in the XVII century on the site of a monastery, which belonged to the Western European order of Benedictines, and named in honour of St John. Only a small building remains of the monastery, which now houses an ethnographic museum.
The cathedral was created when the island was under Ottoman rule, so externally it looks quite modest, so as not to attract too much attention - it is a relatively small building without a dome, with a low bell tower. Despite its modest appearance and small size, this temple is a truly unique structure. Its interior decoration is striking in its beauty and luxury: the walls and ceiling are almost entirely covered with beautiful bright frescoes, created in 1736-1756, which depict various scenes from the Bible, as well as the events of the struggle of the Cypriot Church for independence. Among other subjects, there is even a detailed depiction of the Last Judgement scene. The Cathedral of St John the Evangelist is the only church in the city where the ancient wall paintings have been fully preserved. In addition, next to it there is a museum of ancient icons, some of which are over a thousand years old.
Due to the fact that this saint is equally revered by both Orthodox and Catholics, thousands of pilgrims come to this place every year. It is also in this church that the coronation of the island's new archbishops takes place.
