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Omer Yagiz | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> THE MONASTERY OF ST. BARNABAS (FAMAGUSTA) tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

THE MONASTERY OF ST. BARNABAS (FAMAGUSTA)

The Monastery of St. Barnabas is at the opposite side of the Salamis-Famagusta road, by the Royal Tombs. You can easily tell it by its two fairly large domes. It was built to commemorate the foremost saint of Cyprus, whose life was so intertwined with the spread of the Christian message in the years immediately following the death of Christ.
Barnabas was a native of the ancient city Salamis, and was a Jew, though his family had been settled for some time in Cyprus. His real name was in fact Joses, or Joseph; Barnabas was the name given to him by the early Christian apostles because he was recognised as `a son of Prophecy', or as Luke puts it `a son of consolation'. There is no contradiction here. Luke is merely emphasising that one of the great historic functions of prophecy was to console the believer and keep him in the faith.
He was reputed to be an inspired teacher of Christianity, but more than that he played a very great role in the development of early Christianity. He was also the man to acknowledge that Paul's conversion to Christianity was absolutely sincere, and above all he recognised the genius of Paul, whom he introduced to the Christian fellowship in Jerusalem. When Barnabas was later sent to Antioch to supervise the work of the early Church there, he had Paul as his assistant. Later still, of course, he undertook his great missionary journey with Paul, visiting among other places, his own country of Cyprus.
The monastery which bears Barnabas' name was originally built in the last part of the fifth century, to commemorate the discovery of his body, and the dignity and the seniority it brought to the early Christian Church of Cyprus. Parts of the early building have been preserved in the more recent churh which was built by Archbishop Philotheos in 1756. The money for the purchase of the land on which the monastery was built, is supposed to have been provided by the Byzantine Emperor at the time Barnabas' body was found. (Source: http://www.cypnet.co.uk)

The photos were taken in May 2005 during a visit to the church with some good friends from Holland.
A view of the church
A view of the church
Closer view of the church
Closer view of the church
The main entrance to the complex
The main entrance to the complex
Marble column from nearby Salamis
Marble column from nearby Salamis
Marble column from Salamis
Marble column from Salamis
Cactus at the courtyard
Cactus at the courtyard
Museum section
Museum section
Museum section
Museum section
Museum section
Museum section
Archway
Archway
Entrance to the courtyard
Entrance to the courtyard
Museum section
Museum section
Museum section
Museum section
Museum section
Museum section
Museum section
Museum section
Museum section
Museum section
View of the church from the courtyard
View of the church from the courtyard
View of the church from the courtyard
View of the church from the courtyard
Courtyard
Courtyard
Archway
Archway
Pigeon on the wall
Pigeon on the wall
Courtyard
Courtyard
Annex building
Annex building
Annex building
Annex building
The church (view from the south)
The church (view from the south)
The way to the courtyard
The way to the courtyard
The way to the courtyard
The way to the courtyard
Inside view of the church
Inside view of the church
A resident of the grounds (swallow)
A resident of the grounds (swallow)