PANAGIA TOU ARAKA CHURCH

This Greek Orthodox church (Εκκλησία της Παναγία του Άρακα/Ekklisia tis Panagia tou Araka) is one of the most precious of the ten painted churches on the Troodos listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site. It houses a superb collection of ^12th-century frescoes. Its strange name of "Virgin of the Peas" remains an enigma. While it's common practice in Cyprus to associate the Mother of God with plants, it could also derive from the Cypriot term ιέρακας/ierakas, meaning "falcon", or from a donor, the general logothete Ierakas, a high-ranking official in the Byzantine tax administration. Erected in the ^12th century, the building was part of a monastery and took on its current appearance in the ^14th century: the original stone structure is entirely covered in wood, including the dome and small bell tower. Inside, most of the paintings date from December 1192, as attested by the inscription above the north entrance (below the representation of the holy Keramion, the sacred tile on which the face of Jesus is said to have been fixed). This ensemble is a unique testimony to Byzantine art, as it is the largest surviving complete series of iconographic works from the end of the Comnene dynasty (most of which was destroyed by the Crusaders in Constantinople in 1204).

Meticulous detail and brilliant colors. At the top of the dome, Christ Pantocrator ("Almighty") is depicted at the moment of the Last Judgment, with, below, twelve prophets between the twelve windows of the dome's drum announcing Christ's coming to earth. The two spherical triangles to the east are occupied by scenes from the Annunciation, while the other two to the west depict the evangelists Matthew and Mark (northwest triangle), John and Luke (southwest). The north wall features the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple. The southern half of the west vault shows the Nativity, and the northern half, the Descent into Hell. To the east of the north entrance is the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. Note the attention to detail: looks, movements, finery, jewelry, etc. The name of the artist is unknown, but the style is similar to that of Theodoros Apsevdis, who painted the murals of the church of the Agios Neophytos monastery in Paphos in 1183. Moving towards the sanctuary, the style used in the apse is different. It would appear to be by another artist who worked shortly before 1192.