Twelfth century
The exact date of the foundation of Saint Herakleidios Monastery is unknown. One tradition places it in 1180 under a bishop of Tamassos who had previously been abbot of Machairas, while an earlier destruction of a monastery by Arab raids in 806 is also mentioned.
Saint Herakleidios was born in Tamassos. According to church tradition, the apostles Paul and Barnabas baptised him during their journey through Cyprus and ordained him priest; he later became the first bishop of Tamassos.
Within the church complex we look for the saint’s tomb, old frescoes and elements of earlier buildings in order to connect the apostolic story with the monastery’s material remains.
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