Agia Kyriaki Church, Panagia Chrysopolitissa and St. Paul’s Pillar
Built in the 13th century and around 100 years after its construction and following the Turkish invasion of 1570, it became the Byzantine Cathedral of Kato (Lower) Pafos. Originally constructed with seven aisles it was later reduced to five aisles and beneath your feet there used to be a veritable carpet of beautiful mosaics some of which are still visible after the conservationists took on the job of trying to recover them. In the first century AD the apostle Paul of Tarsus, and Barnabas along with evangelist John Mark visited the town. Although their mission to convert the people to Christianity was a success in that the then Roman Governor of Pafos Sergius Paulus duly accepted this new faith, the apostles weren’t always welcomed and legend has it that St Paul was tied to a pillar outside the church where he suffered 39 brutal lashings. The pillar still stands in the same place today and many Christians from all over the world come to pay homage to the saint and all that he and his fellow apostles underwent in their promotion of Christianity.