I WAS OVERWHELMED WHEN I VISITED THE PANAGIA (CHURCH) OF OUR LADY OF ASINOU AT THE FOOTHILLS OF TROODOS MOUNTAINS IN CYPRUS.
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Kee Hua Chee
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Of course I felt like I was at home since I am of divine stock myself as my father is Zeus, King of Gods. Either that or my mother is Aphrodite the Goddess of Sex. But even I kneel before the true God of Jesus Christ and his mother who I venerate as much as I do Kuanyin, Goddess of Mercy.
Despite its fame as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, the church is amazingly small and so ordinary looking from outside I would have walked past it if I had not known about the treasures inside. It entered UNESCO World Heritage list in 1985 together with 9 other Byzantine churches.
The church can barely fit 20 people shoulder to shoulder and it must have started as a shrine for a local community or just a wealthy family who commissioned it.
It was built by a local magistrate who fell in love with it he became a monk and lived here to the end of his days. He was Nikolaos.
As you enter, there is a portrait of Virgin Mary which you can kiss in homage. A transparent plastic cover protects the precious painting from human lips. I debated whether to kiss but decided against it since I would merely be touching someone's saliva.
So I merely went down on my knees and asked Mother Mary to bless me, my parents, my true love, my adopted French son darling Dedione, Princess Becky Leogardo and family, Dato Nancy Yeoh and family and all those who love and adore me which number around 7 billion I believe.
A Cypriot who hardly spoke English sat at one side selling souvenirs and books. He left for 10 minutes for toilet break but no one dared to steal anything for fear of divine wrath.
The paintings cover the walls, alcoves, pillars, annexes and ceilings and almost every inch of empty space was fully painted in classical Byzantine style full of religious fervour, brilliant colours and stylised elegance.
Indeed the murals are supposed to be a mini Bible lesson with obvious scenes of Adam and Eve, Annunciation, Apostles, saints like St George slaying the dragon, heaven and hell and all manner of religious righteousness.
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The plaque at entrance
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Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Most Blessed Woman
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Mother Mary being received in heaven by angels
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2 saints---I love the hair of the one at left!
Curly-wurly!
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Beautifully coiffed hair!
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Mother Mary with the birth of Jesus Christ, Saviour of our World
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Jesus Christ
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Virgin Mary with baby Jesus
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Jesus resurrecting Lazarus from the dead
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Mary Magdalene and mourners at the tomb of Jesus
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Jesus has been resurrected!
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Suffering in purgatory
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I wonder who is the person at right
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St George
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Part of her face has been defaced
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Adam and Eve and the evil snake
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This magnificent portrait of Jesus Christ surrounded by 12 Apostles is on the ceiling of the nave
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Jesus Christ, king of mankind
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Jesus Christ in resplendent glory
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Mother Mary
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This portrait is also venerated by today's worshippers
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Daniel and the Lion and Jonah and the whale
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Lucifer the fallen angel being locked up
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The painting of Virgin Mary and baby Jesus
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Robert Ong and Tan Q Ling filming the interior of Church of Our Lady of Asinou in Cyprus
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Looks like loaves of bread but these are sinners getting their just desserts!
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Looks like the sinners are in boiling oil
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A saint
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All four corners are lavishly painted
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Every inch has been painted with religious scenes
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This is the second corner
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This is the third
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The fourth
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St George slaying the dragon
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This is the venerated painting of Mother Mary
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What a glorious church!
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Kee Hua Chee is a demi-god who still bows to the true god
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Kee Hua Chee
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Kee Hua Chee inside Church of Our Lady of Asinou
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Mother Mary holding Jesus in swaddling clothes
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The altar
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The altar with Bible
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Religious scenes including Crucifixion
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These murals look 3-D as they are painted on the alcove and annexe above the door!
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Jesus hovers in midair in this trompe l'oeil
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The 3 Wise Men
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The death of Mother Mary
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Parts of some murals are damaged
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This restaurant and lodgings is perfectly blended with its environment!
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Church of Our Lady of Asinou from various sides
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This way to Church of Our Lady of Asinou
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Small, simple and simply stupendous inside!
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Kerwei Tan Q Ling photographing the interior
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Kerwei Laiping Q Ling at work
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Natural light streaming in from the open holes
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