Bicultural Committee Reviews Restoration Projects for St. Fanourios Cave

The Bicultural Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage in Cyprus is currently reviewing plans for the maintenance and restoration of the historic St. Fanourios Cave, located near the village of Ayios Georgios in the Kyrenia district.

In an interview with the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), committee co-chair Sotos Ktoris announced that the organization will soon initiate several projects focused on preserving and restoring cultural monuments and sites in the Kyrenia area, with some already in progress.

Specific plans have been made for the St. Fanourios Cave.

According to Greek Orthodox tradition, when St. Fanourios was pursued by Saracens, he sailed from Anatolia to the area near Ayios Georgios, where his horse collapsed. He then took refuge in the cave, escaping his enemies.

The cave was later dedicated to him and became a site of pilgrimage. The church situated above the cave was constructed in 1973.

At the cave’s entrance, there are fossilized bones believed by local legend to be the remains of St. Phanourios’s horse. However, scientists suggest that the bones may actually belong to a dwarf hippopotamus.

Previously, on August 27, the feast day of St. Fanourios, a church service was held at the Orthodox Church of St. Fanourios in Northern Cyprus for the Greek Cypriot community.

The service was attended by Greek Cypriots residing in the area.

Read more: Church and Cave of St. Phanourios in Northern Cyprus