Event: Cyprus - Nikitari

Asinou Church

When:	Daily
Where:	Asinou Church
Costs:	Free
Opening Hours:	9.30am-4pm (from 10am Sun)

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Asinou Church (or Church of Panagia Phorbiotissa of Asinou) is a tiny, humble-looking church the size of a small cottage in the foothills of the Troödos Mountains.

Its decorations are the finest of the many churches in the area and every year, on rare occasions, it is possible to attend a service there.

Inside, 12th-16th century Byzantine frescoes tell the stories (through small cartoon pictures) of Lazarus' Raising from the Dead. In the middle recess, Christ's life from the Nativity to the Resurrection is depicted. In the apse, an imploring 12th-century Virgin raises her hands in benediction, flanked by two archangels.

Perhaps the most memorable of the panels however can be found in the narthex (dating from the 14th century), where St George on his horse wearing a halo appears beneath a naturalistic Virgin and Child.

Arrive early if you want to catch a Feast Day service in the tiny church. They take place at 7am in the morning and last for two hours. The special days are the 2 February, 25 March, the Tuesday after Easter (when there is also a service at 4pm on the afternoon of the Monday before), 8 September and 21 November.

Asinou is well worth a visit even if you can't make it for the service. Call the priest, who can open the doors for you if you arrive and it's shut. You should give him a tip if you can.