Morphou
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Morphou (in Greek Μόρφου, in Turkish Omorfo (pre 1974) or Güzelyurt post 1974) is a market town in the north-west of Cyprus. Morphou was founded by Spartans who brought with them the worship of Aphrodite. In the Middle Ages, the city was referred to as Morphou but also Theomorphou. The Morphou area grew more than half of Cyprus citrus fruits.
It contains one of the many churches in the country dedicated to St. Mamas, popularly known as the patron saint of tax avoiders. The title was bestowed on him because he was a hermit living in very poor circumstances and when the authorities tried to tax him, he evaded them. Soldiers were sent out and captured him but on the way back to town, he saw a lion attacking a lamb, escaped the soldiers, saved the lamb, jumped on the lion's back and in that way came to town. His bravery earned him exemption from tax, hence his traditional attribute.
Morphou was attacked and taken over by the Turkish military during the invasion (called also intervention) of the island by Turkey in 1974 and its Greek Cypriot inhabitants fled. Morphou is located in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (which is only recognised by Turkey) and is populated by just the Turkish Cypriots.
The church is an icon museum now, and the images of St. Mamas on his lion are quite amusing, as no one there at that time had seen a lion, so the iconography is not exactly lifelike, having a human face in some versions.
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