Holy Church of Panagia of the Katharon

This is the katholikon of the ancient Stavropegic Holy Monastery of Panagia ton Katharon, which is located on a rise to the west of the occupied village of Larnakas tis Lapithou. The monastery was dissolved during the 18th century, while after the Turkish invasion of 1974 the church was savagely looted and illegally used for stabling animals. According to local ecclesiastical tradition, the site had a valuable spring of holy water (agiasma), which was considered particularly therapeutic for the eyes and the ocular ailments of the faithful.