Church of Saint John the Russian destroyed by fire in Cyprus

As a result of a large-scale wildfire in the village of Vouni, Cyprus, the church dedicated to Saint John the Russian was completely destroyed by flames. The church stood atop a hill, about 100 meters from the village’s main church — the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos. This was reported by the Union of Orthodox Journalists (UOJ), citing local sources.

It is noted that the residents were successfully evacuated in time. Electricity remains cut off in the village, and local authorities are attempting to restore power using generators. Firefighters continue to combat the blaze.

The church of Saint John the Russian was a significant pilgrimage site. Thousands of faithful visited the site to offer prayers and seek the saint’s intercession.

It should be recalled that the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus has launched a campaign of repression against bishops who refuse to support the position of Archbishop Georgios — the primate of the Cypriot Church — regarding the OCU and other key issues. Following the removal of Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos from his see, Archbishop Georgios announced actions against Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou.