This year, a permit was obtained from the United Nations for operation in the chapel of Agia Marina within the dead zone in Deryneia on Friday 16 July and Saturday 17 July.
In an announcement, the Municipality of Deryneia states that it has secured again this year a Permission from the United Nations Peacekeeping Force for the operation of the chapel of Agia Marina, which is located inside the Dead Zone, next to the occupied beach of Deryneia.
On Friday, July 16, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. The Vespers will be performed while on Saturday, July 17, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. The Divine Liturgy will be performed and the pilgrimage will continue until 11:30 am.
The passage to the Byzantine chapel will be done by private cars and visitors are required to comply with the instructions of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force to avoid any inconvenience, as well as with the signs for the smooth route to Agia Marina.
The Director of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus Dr. Marina Solomidou-Ieronymidou stated to KYPE that the church of Agia Marina is located in the dead zone of the area of Deryneia and is a declared Ancient Monument II Table.
It is mentioned, for an architectural complex consisting of the main temple, a small cruciform church with a dome, a small narthex in the same architectural type that also has a dome and an arched temple attached to their south side. The main church and the narthex, he said, probably date to the 12th century, while the additions to the southern church probably date to the 15th century. The whole complex is built on an underground sanctuary.
The Department of Antiquities reported that Dr. Marina Solomidou-Ieronymidou during the period 1994 and 1998 carried out maintenance / restoration work on a systematic basis and again in 2015. Over time it was required to undertake new maintenance work, which is currently carried out by workshops of the Department of Antiquities.
Specifically, the works started on July 6 and aim mainly at the management of the humidity issues facing the Monument, as well as the configuration of the area around it in order to facilitate the access of the pilgrims.
Work will be suspended to allow the annual celebrations for the feast of Agia Marina to take place normally and is expected to be completed within the year.