The church of Chrystopolitissa and the complex of archaeological excavations around it is part of the old town of Kato Paphos, but is located separately. In 20th century, it was separated from the main area of Kato Paphos by the busy St. Paul Street.
Kato Paphos occupies a large area near the old port. It was built up in the era of Ptolemaic rule. The Romans captured Cyprus in 58 BC. They built the Roman Forum Square near Kato Paphos. Archaeological excavations around the Church of Chrystopolitissa in the 1980s were conducted in the very place where the Forum was located in Roman times.
According to legend, in 45 AD, the Apostle Paul arrived in Paphos. He preached Christianity here, but was captured and punished with 40 lashes in the Forum in Paphos. Even the column in the Roman Forum, to which the Apostle Paul was tied during the flagellation, has survived to this day. Despite his punishment, he continued to preach, and converted the Roman consul Sergius Paulus to Christianity. After that, Christians were persecuted in the Roman Empire for another three centuries, but a large community of Christians appeared in Cyprus.
The first Christians gathered in the Catacombs of Paphos. However, as soon as the Emperor Constantine in 313 adopted the Edict of Milan, which allowed preaching Christianity without fear of persecution, in Paphos on the site of the Roman Forum in the 4th century, one of the first Christian basilicas was built.
It consisted of 7 side chapels and had a beautiful decor. A Bishop`s Palace was built nearby in the 6th century. The first basilica and the bishop`s palace were completely destroyed by the Arabs during their raid in the 7th century. During the excavations near the Church Chrysopolitissa archaeologists have discovered the mosaic floors and columns of the first Basilica and the Bishop`s Palace.
In the 11th century, the Byzantines re-built the church of Panagia Chrystopolitissa on the site of the Basilica, but in 1222 it was destroyed by a powerful earthquake. At the same time, the castle of Saranta Colones (Castle of the Forty Columns) was destroyed.
To this day preserved a small Church Chrysopolitissa, built in the 1500. It was built by the Venetians and at first it was Catholic, but in 1571 the Turks handed it over to the Christian community. Another name of the church is the Church of St. Kyriaki.
