Overview

The Holy Church of St. Ephraim the Great Martyr of Neophanous is located in the community of Agios Ambrosios in the Limassol district, along the main road Limassol-Omodos-Platra. Architecturally, the church is built in the style of a cruciform basilica with a dome, with a capacity of about 400 people, and functions as a parish church for the community of Agios Amvrosios. The church's carved wooden iconostasis is a copy of an older 18th-century iconostasis. The whole structure is a jewel of the area and a place of spiritual rejoicing and relaxation. The construction of the church began in 2004 and was completed in 2006. On December 7 of the same year, on the day of the feast of Saint Ambrosius, the church was inaugurated and on Sunday, December 10, 2006, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated. On July 12-13, 2008 the Inauguration (Myroma, anointment) of the church was celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Chrysostomos II of New Justinian and all of Cyprus and His Eminence Metropolitan George of Pafos. The Holy Church of St. Ephraim celebrates the Holy and Divine Liturgy every Sunday and also major Despotic and Theotokos feast days. Daily services and Vespers are held in the old church of the village, which was built in the 14th century and is dedicated to St. Ambrosius, Bishop of Milan (7 December). It is located in the centre of the village and is under the protection of the Department of Antiquities. The Holy Church of St. Ephraim is celebrated on May 5, the day of the memory of St. Ephraim, and on January 3, the day of the finding of his relics. A fragment of the Holy Relic of Saint Ephraim the Great is also kept in the church, which is exposed for veneration on weekends.