Arodes

Arodes
Coat of arms
Country	Cyprus
District	Paphos District
Elevation	590 m (1,940 ft)
Population (2001[1])
• Total	127
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)

Arodes is a village in the North West of Cyprus close to the Akamas peninsula. It is about 23 km from the town of Paphos. Arodes is composed of two smaller settlements; Pano Arodes (mainly Greek Cypriot) and Kato Arodes (previously mainly Turkish Cypriot).

In 1975 (a year after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus), Kato Arodes was abandoned and many of the buildings fell into disrepair. Some houses have now been renovated and made into holiday homes on the provision they be returned to their rightful owners in case of a settlement in the Cyprus dispute. Most residents of Kato Arodes moved to Kapouti (known as Kalkanli by Turkish Cypriots) to the north of the island.

In February 1995, an earthquake occurred that destroyed 50 homes and damged 570 others. The shock had a moment magnitude of 5.9 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (Very Strong). Two people were killed and five were injured.^[2]

The population of Pano Arodes has decreased in the past 30 years as the population has aged and younger residents move to towns for employment.

In his book "Historic Cyprus" (Second ed. 1947) at page 177, Rupert Gunnis (who was Inspector of Antiquities on the island at the time) described the village as follows:

"The mediaeval name of the village was Rhodes, from the fact that it was the property of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, whose headquarters were until 1522 in the island of Rhodes.

"The Christian village contains an eighteenth-century Church of St. Kelandion, an early bishop of Paphos. To the north side of the church lies the large stone sarcophagus of St. Agapiticos, while the companion one of St. Misiticos is to the south. The village legend is that those who wish to win the love of a person, be it a girl or boy, come secretly at night and chip off a fragment of the sarcophagus of St. Agapiticos. This is powedered and introduced into the loved one's drink, who will immediately reciprocate the donor's passion. Conversely, should a person desire to quarrel with another, he merely carries out the same procedure with powedered stone from the sarcophagus of St. Misiticos. It is interesting to note that the latter is far more worn away than that of St. Agapiticos, but this is explained by the fact that its powers are much in request by young men and women who wish to change their lovers."

References

Paphos District Settlements Acheleia Agia Marinouda Agia Varvara Agios Dimitrianos Agios Georgios Agios Ioannis Agios Isidoros Agios Nikolaos Akoursos Amargeti Anadiou Anarita Androlykou Archimandrita Argaka Arminou Armou Arodes Asprogia Axylou Ayia Marina Kelokedharon Ayia Marina Khrysokhous Chloraka Choletria Choli Choulou Chrysochou Dhrousha Drymou Eledio Empa Episkopi Evretou Faleia Fasli Fasoula Foinikas Fyti Galataria Geroskipou Gialia Giolou Goudi Inia Istinjon Kallepia Kannaviou Karamoullides Kathikas Kato Akourdhalia Kedares Kelokedara Kidasi Kilinia Kinousa Kissonerga Koili Koloni Konia Kouklia Kourtaka Kritou Marottou Kritou Terra Lapithiou Lasa Lemona Lempa Letymvou Loukrounou Lysos Makounta Mamonia Mamountali Mandria Marathounta Maronas Meladeia Melandra Mesa Chorio Mesana Mesogi Milia Miliou Mousere Nata Nea Dimmata Neo Chorio Nikokleia Panagia Pano Akourdaleia Paphos Paphos Forest Pegeia Pelathousa Pentalia Peristerona Philousa Kelokedharon Philousa Khrysokhous Pitargou Polemi Polis Pomos Praitori Prastio Prodromi Psathi Salamiou Sarama Simou Skoulli Souskiou Statos–Agios Fotios Stavrokonnou Steni Stroumpi Tala Terra Theletra Thrinia Timi Trachypedoula Tremithousa Trimithousa Tsada Vretsia Zacharia

Coordinates: 34°56′16.89″N 32°24′16.30″E / 34.9380250°N 32.4045278°E / 34.9380250; 32.4045278