In Larnaka, which was the oldest continually inhabited city on the planet, was the tomb and church
of Saint Lazarus. The city used to be known as Kition, and it was fairly well known and traveled to
in biblical times. St. Lazarus was buried there, and in about 890, his remains were rediscovered
and disinterred. His bones were shipped off to Constantinople, but his skull was kept in this
church that was then constructed over his tomb. The tomb now contains an empty sarcophagus beneath
the bell tower, as his skull was in a glass enclosure inside the church. The church had been
restored several times, and was in beautiful condition.
An interesting anecdote, is that when you first visit a new place, first impressions somehow are
most significant. Just after I arrived in Cyprus, a taxi took me into Larnaka, where I waited for
the inter-urban collectivo to take me to Limassol. I had to wait in a very pleasant little square,
with a post office and a few cafes, where the city life was just beginning for the day, and workers
were restoring a church yard. It gave me a very positive introduction to Cyprus, and it just
coincidentally happened to be where this shot was taken from a month later.
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