Funds sought to upgrade Varosha church

A fundraising campaign is underway to raise €40,000 for the maintenance of the Ayia Paraskevi church in Varosha.

The fundraising campaign is being operated by the Famagusta bishopric, with the money set to be used in conjunction with an extra €200,000 which has been procured by the bicommunal Technical Committee for Cultural Heritage.

The 18^th century church is one of the oldest in Varosha.

The €40,000 it is looking to raise will be used “to cover at least the initial costs for preparing the required technical studies.

“The money may be needed to fix a window or a door to ensure the church remains safe and looked after, and to make sure pigeons can’t get in, for example. The process for the real works to begin may take three years, and this money will go towards small improvements until then,” a Bishopric representative told the Cyprus Mail.

The bishopric added, “several churches … have already been maintained and renovated through the [technical committee],” and that they “will not fail to intervene wherever necessary to contribute to the maintenance and safeguarding of our places of worship.”