Church of Christ Antiphonitis – Wayfaring Appetite

Christ Antiphonitis means “Christ Who Responds”– apparently, this 13th century church is named after a miraculous icon that was known to respond to people’s prayers. While Severin was back in the States, I convinced some newcomers to drive up to the northeastern coast of Cyprus with me to check it out. The church is infamous for being the site of antiquities looting by Turkish nationals after 1974; many of its 15th century frescoes were found recently-ish in the possession of a Dutch art dealer and a Turkish man living in Germany. In a landmark international case, the Church of Cyprus succeeded in getting many works (including rare 6th century mosaics from another church) repatriated to Cyprus, but the damage had already been done and the church irreparably altered.

It doesn’t take much to imagine how spectacular Antiphonitis must have been, based on what is still there. First, it is evident it was a place of great reverence. Its walls are covered by the etchings of pilgrims from the 19th and 20th centuries. The image above is not Turkish vandalism, but rather the graffiti of many Greek Orthodox pilgrims over the years. Obviously, these pilgrims have damaged a fresco in the process, but I find visiting these frescoes infinitely more interesting than seeing a museum-quality fresco elsewhere. It gives the place a touch of humanity, because I understand the impulse that would prompt someone to scratch his name somewhere it would endure forever, particularly after they’ve trekked for days or weeks just to visit this holy place. I love seeing the dates, the curves of their handwriting, and thinking about the individual who made these markings 100+ years ago…it makes me feel like we are all in this place together, time transcended, and looking at this fresco. And that’s a lovely feeling. I’m sure not many of these pilgrims could have imagined the fall of the Ottoman Empire, their country’s independence struggle, and the war that would later tear it apart.

And then there is a testament to the barbarity and greed of man on the opposite wall. This was a large fresco of the Tree of Jesse, which depicts Christ’s family tree. Just imagine, these frescoes were painted on plaster walls and the only way they could have been removed was sheer, brute force. I understand parts of it were among those returned, but I haven’t been to the Byzantine Museum in Nicosia yet to see (it’s on my list). One story I read online estimated the value of the art stolen from north Cyprus and recovered in Germany to have exceeded 20 million pounds sterling.