HOLY CHURCH OF ARCHANGEL MICHAEL

This historic church is the religious ornament of the upper parish of occupied Lefkoniko in the Famagusta district. The imposing stone building in its present form was completed at the beginning of the 19th century, incorporating however earlier building phases that date back as far as the 12th century. After the long-standing abandonment and desecration it suffered owing to the Turkish invasion, the church was fully restored by the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, revealing rare Byzantine wall paintings. Today, the celebration of unrestricted sacraments remains impossible, although the organisation of individual refugee services is rarely permitted following special authorisation