Cave of the 40 Martyrs Troodos
Hidden in the hills near Protaras, the Cave of the 40 Martyrs is a small chapel carved into limestone rock. This place brings together ancient faith, natural geology, and centuries of devotion in one simple, quiet space. blogspot-com The cave church, known locally as Ayioi Saranta, sits in a natural limestone formation on Fanou Hill. The name translates to the Forty Saints, a direct reference to the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste. This is not a grand cathedral with ornate decoration. It is a cave with a white wall, a blue door, and a stone dome above. Inside, rough rock walls hold a few icons and candles. The floor was paved, but otherwise the cave remains much as nature formed it. The Story of the 40 Martyrs The dedication of this cave connects to events that happened over 1,700 years ago. In 320 AD, forty Roman soldiers from the Legio XII Fulminata refused to abandon Christianity during the persecution under Emperor Licinius I. They were stationed near Sebaste in what is now Turkey. Their punishment was brutal. According to Bishop Basil of Caesarea, who documented the story in the 4th century, the soldiers were stripped naked and left to freeze on a frozen lake during a winter night. earlychristians-org One soldier gave in to the cold and ran to the warm…
Read more