As the Metropolitan of Constantia - Famagusta Vassilios stated in KYPE, "since 2008 when the Cultural Academy" Agios Epiphanios "was founded, based in the monastery of Ayia Napa, a series of Hagiological conferences and other cultural events were held. The establishment of the Cultural Academy set some goals, among which, the creation of an exhibition museum space in the cells of the monastery and a library which will be housed in the so-called tower, ie in the two-storey building ".
He added that "several steps have already been taken to achieve these two goals and we are moving forward with another action, a collaboration with the University of Cyprus, so that in the area of the Medieval Monastery, a postgraduate institute for research and study of Middle Eastern cultures operates." .
At the same time, some of the rooms of the Monastery will "continue to function as a conference space for holding conferences. Also, the Hagiological Conferences of Cypriot Hagiology will continue to be organized, with the 3rd such international conference scheduled for February 2016. All these activities will revitalize the Medieval Monastery of Ayia Napa, while at the site every Saturday will continue Liturgy by the clergyman who is there ".
According to Metropolitan Vassilios, "plans have already been submitted and approved for the establishment of the museum, which will include a collection of amphorae, dating back to 1,600 BC. and reach the end of the Byzantine period. The amphorae are part of the collection of Archbishop Makarios that is located in the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus and His Beatitude with the approval of the Department of Antiquities have given us a part of them ".
He added that "an exhibition of sacred icons will be created, including icons that were in Munich and returned to Cyprus, which come from parishes of Varos, such as Agia Zoni, Stavros and Agios Nikolaos and from the occupied Communities of the Metropolis."
According to the Metropolitan of Constantia - Famagusta, "through the exhibited objects, amphorae and icons will be described the history of Cyprus, the Church of Cyprus and the monastery of Ayia Napa. There will also be an exhibition of icons from our occupied churches, the main goal is to demonstrate the destruction that took place in Cyprus and to explain to the world that these icons ended up being today in the Medieval Monastery ".
In the exhibition space, he continued, "there will be a chapel in which the use of the image within the Orthodox Church will be presented with posted texts. The Diocese is in the process of collaborating with the University of Cyprus, which will offer academic coverage for the establishment of a postgraduate Institute for the research and study of Middle Eastern cultures, with the aim of making it clear that Cyprus is a bridge between the Middle East and of Europe".
He added that "two Theological Schools in Athens, a University in Lebanon and a University in Georgia have already expressed interest in participating in this program. The Diocese is also collaborating with the Freie Universität of Berlin, whose team is coming to Cyprus in order to elaborate the entire program, ie to prepare the museum space with the technical details and the scientific research ", he concluded.
Source: KYPE