The monastery of Apostle Andreas, in the Turkish occupied Karpass peninsula, will be delivered to the pilgrims next month.
Greek Cypriot co-chairman of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, Takis Hadzidemetriou told CNA on Monday that the first phase of the restoration of the once derelict monastery is near completion and the monastery will be handed over to the Committee chairmen on 20th October, during a grand ceremony. The saint`s feast day is celebrated on 30th November.
The icons were thoroughly cleaned and the inside of the church and the pulpit have been completed, said Hadzidemetriou and the project will be handed over to the Committee during a ceremony on 20th October at the monastery courtyard.
On 17 September 2013 UNDP-PFF signed two contribution agreements worth € 2.5 million euro each, respectively with the Church of Cyprus and the Evkaf Administration (responsible for Turkish Cypriot properties) for the Restoration of the Apostolos Andreas Monastery.
The restoration of the monastery, according to UNDP, intends to contribute to the on-going confidence building process between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots within the context of cultural heritage preservation and protection. The overall restoration of the Monastery will take place in four phases.
The icons were kept at a temporary hall which was turned into a chapel for pilgrims and is under the watchful eye of Father Zacharias Georgiou, who has been looking after the monastery, to the extent that he could, since the 1974 Turkish occupation.
The Monastery is situated on the north-eastern point of the island, bears the name of Apostle Andreas. A landmark for the faithful Greek Cypriots who would often travel for up to two days to reach this holy site, the monastery was the victim of neglect since the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of the island`s northern third.
Hadzidemetriou described the completion of the first phase of the project as an extraordinary event and said the people are welcome to attend.
Work on the first phase began in autumn 2014.
