Karpaseia or Karpasha ( el, Kαρπάσια []; tr, Karpaşa) is a village in Cyprus, 2 km south of Myrtou. ''De facto'', it is under the control of Northern Cyprus.
Karpaseia is the smallest village in population amongst the
Maronite
The Maronites ( ar, الموارنة; syr, ܡܖ̈ܘܢܝܐ) are a Christian ethnoreligious group native to the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant region of the Middle East, whose members traditionally belong to the Maronite Church, with the larges ...
villages. In 1778, there were 99 inhabitants; in 1973, they numbered 245. Today, only eleven enclaved Maronites remain in Karpaseia, the rest having fled to the south during the
1974 Turkish invasion.
The village church is dedicated to the Holy Cross. Inside the church, there are remnants of wall paintings. The icons date from the 17th century. There are also two ancient wooden crosses of great value: one is Byzantine and dates from the 15th century; the other is rustic Cypriot-Byzantine and dates from the 17th century. The two crosses constitute one of the most important possessions of the Maronite community, which celebrates the protector of the village on 14 September, the day on which St. Helen is said to have found the Holy Cross (14 September 320 A.C.).
[http://www.maronitesofcyprus.com/cgibin/hweb?-A=783&-V=villages]
References
Maronite communities
Communities in Kyrenia District
Populated places in Girne District
Greek enclaves in Northern Cyprus
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