In the southwestern foothills of the Pentadaktylos Mountains, 1 mile (1.5 km) east of Myrtou (Kyrenia district) at 260m a.s.l. The church is attested in the 11th century as a metochion of the Krinia monastery [Papacostas (1999a) 6.B.I.46, 6.E], 3.5 miles (5.5 km) to the northeast across the Palaiomylos valley and the Pentadaktylos ridge. The settlement of Margi is recorded in the 1460s [Mas Latrie (1886) 423], and is mentioned as a Maronite village in the later medieval / Ottoman periods [Mas Latrie (1852-61) 3.197, n.1 and 510, Mas Latrie (1879) 410; Tsirpanles (1973) 66-68, 149, 179 and 181]. The ruins of the church were still visible in the early 20th century
Description: Today there is virtually nothing left of the church recorded in the early 20th century, a domed octagon with semi-circular apse opening directly into the square naos. It had a square narthex of equal size to the naos, with a triple arcade on piers of alternating stone and brick between the two. The church is known exclusively through an early 20th-century description [Jeffery (1907a) 29-30, Jeffery (1918) 279-80; Gunnis (1936) 353; Papageorgiou (1982b) 437, Papageorgiou (1985a) 330]. Based on Jeffery’s plan Papageorgiou suggests that naos and narthex belong to the same building campaign; Jeffery, however, often omitted to show the various building phases on his plans [Angeloktiste, Lambadistes, Asinou: Jeffery (1915/16) 121 and 123]. A clearer indication that narthex and naos may be contemporaneous is provided by the triple arcade through which the two spaces communicate: it is hard to imagine that this was originally on the west façade of the church.
Dating: A late 11th / 12th century (?) date is likley, on account of the architectural type and masonry.
Later additions / alterations: Jeffery’s plan shows external buttresses (for arcosolia?) against the north wall, and additional masonry reinforcing the apse wall [Jeffery (1907a) 30, Jeffery (1918) 280].
Early literature: The structure is perhaps to be identified with the Maronite church of Santa Maria di Margino / Mari Adra, mentioned in 1653 [Tsirpanles (1973) 149].
Plan / section: Jeffery (1915/16) 117 [unique plan of a now lost building].