During our trip in Paphos we were able to visit some significant religious sites including the sanctuary of Aphrodite and Saint Paul’s Pillar. Cyprus is home to a number of important Orthodox Christian landmarks and Saint Paul’s Pillar is a testament to this as, the site is a prominent location for pilgrims to visit and displays noticeable markings and wear from the touch of countless pilgrims. The pillar is believed to be the site where the Apostle Paul was whipped and beaten for his attempts to convert the Paphos populace. Although Paul was severely beaten, according to Christian tradition he was ultimately successful in converting the Roman proconsul of Paphos, Sergius Paulus, to Christianity which would mark the beginning of the island’s deep rooted connection to Christianity. The pillar is surrounded by a large archaeological site which has uncovered the remains of a large basilica which had been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times in the aftermath of Paul’s journey to the city. Another religious site we were able to visit on our trip to Paphos was the Sanctuary of Aphrodite and the rock that was used to represent the goddess that would become prominent in later Greek mythology. The Sanctuary of Aphrodite was very interesting to visit as the large black stone which was used to symbolize the goddess before the later personification of the deity draws a number of parallels to other religious movements and the worship of black stones. One of the most prominent examples of this deification of black stones can be seen in the use of a black stone in the Kaaba at Mecca which remains the most important holy site of the Islamic faith. It is very interesting to see the role that black stones and meteorites have played in human spirituality and the development of religion and it is particularly interesting how this worship of stones has continued to influence spirituality into the modern era. Both Saint Paul’s Pillar and the Sanctuary of Aphrodite provide interesting historical context into the development and evolution of religion in Cyprus and how spiritual traditions can be appropriated from one religion to the next.

Tristan F.