Kiti - Panagia Angeloktisti

Kiti is a village situated around eleven kilometres south-west of Larnaca. According to local tradition, the inhabitants of Larnaca fled to Kiti during an Arab invasion. They decided to build a church, but the plan was abandoned. Legend has it that a host of angels then erected the church overnight. This is the origin of the church’s current name: Panagia Angeloktisti = Panagia built by Angels.

The church was built in the 11th century as a cross-domed church. The construction incorporated the preserved apse of an early Christian basilica from the 5th century, which had been destroyed around 800 during the Arab invasion of Cyprus.

The 5th-century apse, which has survived the passage of time and was incorporated into the then-new church in the 11th century. It is decorated with a 6th-century mosaic.