Agios Demetrios
Agios Demetrios is the patron Saint of the big city of Thessalonica
in Greece. Agios Demetrios which declared Christianity, was arrested
and jailed by the idolaters. His relic are stored there at Thessalonica
and by his grave Holy Myron is gushing up. However, here in Cyprus,
there is a dedicated church to Agios Demetrios in the beautiful
village of Kato Platres. The community Kato Platres celebrates for
Agios Demetrios on the 26th of October, with the procession of the
holy icon of Agios Demetrios and the presence of important people
of the church of Cyprus.
Somewhere at the center of the village is found the dedicated church
to Agios Demetrios. It is built with stones and covered with plaster
and white paint externally. It was built between the 18th and 19th
century. Around the church there is plenty of space and the church
is architecturally built in gothic rhythm. Internally while entering
you will meet the very old floor, laid by square plates. Its very
old wooden and engraved icon stand, was manufactured in 1898, according
to a sign that exists on it, constituting the beautiful wealth of
the church. The icons of the saints are incorporated in this. The
old psalteries were destroyed and in 1974 new ones were manufactured
from a wooden material. From the western entrance of the temple,
advancing to the Holy Altar, you will see in your left the wooden
engraved pulpit, used by the deacon in order to read the Gospel.
In the interior, the temple is leveled and there is no place set
apart for women. It can accept around 200 people.
The old church of Agios Demetrios
At a small distance from the central church, at the center let's
say of the village Kato Platres, it is found the old church of Agios
Demetrios. A small and concise church. Built with stones but externally
it is covered with plaster and white paint. Its bell was supported
on a tree close to the church. Later the tree bent and they were
forced to manufacture a construction to support the bell.
When the central church of Agios Demetrios was built, the equipment
from the small church was transported there and the temple remained
empty. The church since 1930 functioned as a school with three classes
and forty students. Later a school was built and the small church
was neglected. It accommodated also animals for a very big period
of time.
In 1974 they began to remanufacture the church internally. They
made a simple wooden icon stand. The psalteries were not completed
and they simply manufactured their flooring. Of course the very
little stools which were in excess from the central church, were
returned to the small church. Its squared roof internally has wide
wooden boards, as decorative elements.
The church functions two times every year. The first one is on Monday
of Easter and the second on the 26th of December.
The chapel of the Timios Prodromos
Easterly of the village through the forest that leads to the village
Pano Platres, it was found the chapel of Timios Prodromos. Today
are saved the remaining pieces of the holy altar above which it
exists sprouted a very old and big tree. It is a summer chapel as
called by the residents. Some icons existed at the chapel having
their candles turned on. The passerbies passed from there in order
to pray and turn on the candles.
In 1975,opposite from the devastated chapel, they built a new church
and dedicated it to Timios Prodromos. It is a small white externally
church,square manufactured. It allocates a simple, wooden, modern
type icon stand, where the icons are framed on. At the western entrance
of the chapel it exists an icon stand where the icon of Timios Prodromos
is found. There are very little stools and it can accept around
40 to 50 individuals.
The chapel functions three times every year. On Tuesday of Eastern,
on the 24th of June which is the birthday of Timios Prodromos and
on the 29th of August which is the decapitation day of Timios Prodromos.
The old Byzantine icon of Timios Prodromos is found in the central
temple of the community of Agios Demetrios.
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