The Church of St. Thekla the Equal-to-the-Apostles and the Cave of St. Thekla are located on the western outskirts of Ayia Napa, 6.5 kilometers from the city center. Near the church, in the village of Sotira, there is the Beach of St. Thekla, as well as one of the largest water parks in Europe, Water World.
Saint Thekla was born in the 1st century AD in the territory of Asia Minor, in the town of Iconia (now the city of Konya in Turkey). It was the time when the apostles, after the Ascension of Jesus Christ, went to different countries to preach Christianity. Thekla was born into a noble family and was betrothed to a young man from a rich family. At this time, the Apostle Paul arrived in the town. After listening to the sermons of the Apostle Paul, she refused to marry and decided to devote her life to God.
She became one of the first Christian nuns, a preacher of Christianity and a healer. Saint Thekla accompanied the Apostle Paul on his travels. Fekla died in the town of Maaloula in Syria. The site is now the site of the Monastery of Saint Thekla.
Saint Thekla was canonized as an equal-to-the-Apostles. Her relics were transferred from Maaloula to the town of Silifke (Seleucia) in the South-East of Turkey. In the 13th century, the King of Aragon decided to marry the daughter of the King of Seleucia. Thanks to this marriage, he wanted to get the relics of Saint Thekla to be placed in the Cathedral of Tarragona, but the marriage did not take place, and the relics remained in Silifke.
Part of the relics of Saint Thekla was "miraculously" transferred to Cyprus, where she is very revered. They are kept in the monastery, which is located in the Troodos Mountains. The Church of St. Thekla in Ayia Napa is located on the site where in ancient times there was a monastery of St. Thekla. It has not survived to this day.
The snow-white Church of St. Thekla was built in the 20th century, but under it, in the rocky shore, the Cave of St. Thekla is preserved. People from the 6th century came here to worship Saint Thekla. In fact, it was a small cave church. Saint Thekla herself has never been here, but the ancient cave church of Saint Thekla has become revered in Cyprus.
