Steni
Encyclopedia
Steni is a village in the Paphos District
of Cyprus
, located 6 km southeast of Polis Chrysochous.
In his book "Historic Cyprus" (second edition 1947), Rupert Gunnis
(Inspector of Antiquities on the island at the time) writes:
"About two miles from the village lie the ruins of the rich and important Monastery of Chrysolakhourna. The original thirteenth-century church consists of a central nave
and two side aisles ending in a semicircular apse
. Over the west door was a small lancet window
of two lights. In the sixteenth century, owing to an earthquake
, the church was much remodelled. The west front was covered with a heavy buttress
wall four feet thick at the base, which blocked the two entrances into the side aisle. The north wall was rebuilt, and the windows in the west and east end of the church were blocked up. All the paintings which remain are of the period of the rebuilding, save a figure of St. John the Baptist
in the west end, and even this has been chipped to form a key for the later series of frescoes. The monastic buildings are of considerable size, but are now much ruined.
A number of Hellenic
tombs surround the monastery, and the scattered marble columns and pillars suggest that there was perhaps a heathen temple here at some period.
Just below the church is a tiny valley shaded by giant oak
s, and from a cleft in the rocks trickles a holy spring, which is frequented by those who suffer from ophthalmia
. According to the local tradition, this monastery was once the resident of a bishop
, and it is possible that during the Latin domination (note: the Kingdom of Cyprus
) the Orthodox
Bishop of Paphos
was forced to reside here. The last Abbot
is said to have been hanged by the Turks
in 1821.
Near Steni are the Turkish hamlet
s of St. Isidoros (note: Ayios Isidhoros, Paphos) and Myrimikoph; each still contains the ruined mediaeval church dating from before the time of the Turkish conquest."
Paphos District
Paphos District is one of the six districts of Cyprus and it is situated in the western part of Cyprus. Its main town and capital is Paphos. The entire district is controlled by the internationally recognized government of Cyprus...
of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, located 6 km southeast of Polis Chrysochous.
In his book "Historic Cyprus" (second edition 1947), Rupert Gunnis
Rupert Gunnis
Rupert Forbes Gunnis was an English collector and historian of British sculpture. He is best known for his Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851, which "revolutionized the study of British sculpture, providing the foundation for all later studies on the subject".-Life:Born in Cadogan Square,...
(Inspector of Antiquities on the island at the time) writes:
"About two miles from the village lie the ruins of the rich and important Monastery of Chrysolakhourna. The original thirteenth-century church consists of a central nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and two side aisles ending in a semicircular apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. Over the west door was a small lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
of two lights. In the sixteenth century, owing to an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
, the church was much remodelled. The west front was covered with a heavy buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
wall four feet thick at the base, which blocked the two entrances into the side aisle. The north wall was rebuilt, and the windows in the west and east end of the church were blocked up. All the paintings which remain are of the period of the rebuilding, save a figure of St. John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
in the west end, and even this has been chipped to form a key for the later series of frescoes. The monastic buildings are of considerable size, but are now much ruined.
A number of Hellenic
Hellenistic civilization
Hellenistic civilization represents the zenith of Greek influence in the ancient world from 323 BCE to about 146 BCE...
tombs surround the monastery, and the scattered marble columns and pillars suggest that there was perhaps a heathen temple here at some period.
Just below the church is a tiny valley shaded by giant oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
s, and from a cleft in the rocks trickles a holy spring, which is frequented by those who suffer from ophthalmia
Ophthalmia
Ophthalmia is inflammation of the eye. It is a medical sign which may be indicative of various conditions, including sympathetic ophthalmia , gonococcal ophthalmia, trachoma or "Egyptian" ophthalmia, ophthalmia neonatorum ,...
. According to the local tradition, this monastery was once the resident of a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, and it is possible that during the Latin domination (note: the Kingdom of Cyprus
Kingdom of Cyprus
The Kingdom of Cyprus was a Crusader kingdom on the island of Cyprus in the high and late Middle Ages, between 1192 and 1489. It was ruled by the French House of Lusignan.-History:...
) the Orthodox
Greek Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament...
Bishop of Paphos
Paphos
Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...
was forced to reside here. The last Abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
is said to have been hanged by the Turks
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in 1821.
Near Steni are the Turkish hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
s of St. Isidoros (note: Ayios Isidhoros, Paphos) and Myrimikoph; each still contains the ruined mediaeval church dating from before the time of the Turkish conquest."