42. GEORGE OF PETRIDIA, SAINT

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Near the west coast, less than 1 mile (1.5 km) south of Emba (Paphos district) and 1.5 miles (2.5 km) north of Paphos, at 120m a.s.l. The nearby village of Emba with its medieval church of the Chryseleousa is first recorded in the Lusignan period [1468: Richard (1983) 96].

Description: A small domed bay was added to the west of an early Christian domed square building, probably a funerary structure (there are arcosolia in the north, south and east walls) that was henceforth used as a bema for the medieval church. Several layers of fresco decoration have been reported [Gunnis (1936) 223-24; MKE 4, 50-51].

Dating: A middle Byzantine date has been suggested for the transformation of the early funerary structure into a church [MKE 4, 50-51], but there is litte evidence to allow a more precise dating.

Later additions / alterations: A second western extension was added in late medieval times with a barrel vault extending over the earlier parts whose domes had collapsed [MKE 4, 50-51]. Badly restored in recent years, it has been white-washed, while a new floor and a new concrete roof have been installed.

Plan / section: Soteriou (1935) 3 [the walled door on the south wall of the west extension is not shown].