The Hermitage of Saint Neophytos

The Hermitage (enkleistra) of Saint Neophytos is one of the most celebrated Byzantine twelfth-century monuments worldwide, given the high quality and the unique iconographic program of its frescoes, encountered nowhere else in the Byzantine world, as well as the fact that the whole complex was cut in rock.

The monument is connected with an important intangible heritage. In fact, the community that was built and organised around Neophytos has been the centre of intellectual production with strong connections to the Byzantine elites of the island and the capital of the Byzantine empire (Constantinople), during the tumultuous period spanning the last decades of the Byzantine era -which ended with the conquest of the island by Richard the Lionheart in 1191- through the first decades of the Frankish period of Cyprus.

The intellectual production at the Enkleistra is evidenced by the writings of Neophytos and the composition of the pictorial narratives of the frescoes. The latter have been studied extensively in the past, whereas the writings of Neophytos, as well as the artefacts produced by or connected to the members of the circle of Neophytos –both monks and laymen– have made the object of far less studies.

Life of Saint Neophythos

Saint Neophytos the Recluse (1134-ca.1214) is one of the most important Cypriot Saints and historic figures. He was a prolific writer who composed his biography, an account of the first years of the Latin conquest of the island, as well as several theological treatises. At the age of 17 he became monk at Koutsoventis Monastery. In search of the solitary life, he quitted this Monastery two years later. After many adventures he decided to become an ascetic at the mountainous area above the city of Paphos. In 1159 he started building his cell, by enlarging and modifying an already existing cave, which was expanded into a complex comprising three caves: the Cell, the Bema and the Naos dedicated to the Holy Cross.

Neophytos soon became a well-known spiritual figure and in 1170 he was forced by Basil Kinnamos, the bishop of Paphos at the time, to accept a disciple. During this same period, the Enkleistra began to be extended and was adorned with paintings, while the whole cliff was excavated for the creation of additional cells. This extension phase included possibly as well the Refectory, which it was also adorned. According to Neophytos’ testimony, however, the Naos was excavated in 1183. The increasing number of pilgrims visiting him, obliged Neophytos to dig another cave above the first one (the so-called New Zion), in search of solitude and inner peace. This latter cave was completed and painted by the end of 1197. According to written testimonies, the Enkleistra was painted in 1183 by Theodoros Apseudis, likely a Constantinopolitan painter who came to Cyprus at the instigation of the bishop of Paphos Basil Kinnamos. To the same painter are also attributed the Bema and the Naos of the church of the Virgin at Lagoudera (UNESCO World Heritage monument in Cyprus, dated ca. 1192), as well as at least seven icons currently owned by different ecclesiastical institutions in Cyprus.

Mnemosyne’s research commitment

The Holy Monastery of Saint Neophytos has long been a partner of DHRLab, therefore, we have already digitally documented the Enkleistra of Saint Neophytos. However, the data acquisition didn’t move beyond the geometric (3D) documentation of it, as well as 2D photographs. More precisely, it included scanning by a terrestrial time-of-flight laser scanner for the exterior of the complex. The inside of the upper part of the Enkleistra was digitised through the acquisition of photos, sufficient for the creation of 3D models. The aforementioned data acquired in the context of past projects, in which DHRLab was involved have been made available to be used, exploited and further processed. Despite, however, the accuracy of the 3D documentation, the Enkleistra of Saint Neophytos has not been documented holistically since the history of the monument, its materials, the different phases in its lifecycle, as well as the personalities and therefore the intellectual and theological currents connected to it have been overlooked.

The documentation of the iconographic cycle of the frescoes necessitates further research in secondary sources (published material, documentaries, audio material) for tracing the intellectual contacts of Saint Neophytos. It also entails delving into his numerous works (already published), allowing thus a restitution, even a partial one, of the period between the late-twelfth- and the early-thirteenth-century intellectual environment prevailing at the Hermitage, which has undoubtedly defined the choices of Saint Neophytos, the person responsible as well for the iconographic cycle’s composition.

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Essential Bibliography

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• Aristotelous, Charalambos. Saint Neophytos the Recluse and the Use of Holy Scripture in His Works: Comparative Documentation and Statistical Analysis Using Computational Processing. PhD diss., University of  Nicosia, Department of Theology, 2023  https://repository.unic.ac.cy/archive/item/4386?lang=en
• Aristotelous, Charalambos. “Biblical Citations in the Writings of Saint Neophytos the Recluse.” Journal of Byzantine Studies. Nicosia, 2018. Conference paper.
• Aristotelous, Charalambos, ed. The Story of Neophytos the Recluse. Lefkara and Tala, Cyprus: Bilingual Exhibition Catalogue (Greek/English), 2016.
• Bakirtzis, Dimitrios. “The Hermitage Layout and Spatial Organization at the Enkleistra of Saint Neophytos.” In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Byzantine Monasticism. Thessaloniki: University of Thessaloniki Press, 2009.
• Bouras, Charalambos. “Iconographic Cycles in the Chapel of Saint Neophytos.” Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies 29 (2005): 211–234.
• Christodoulides, Charalambos G. Saint Neophytos Monastery: History and Art. Nicosia, 1989. (In Greek).
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• Kakoulli, Ioanna. Conservation Studies of the Enkleistra Frescoes. Nicosia: Digital Heritage Research Lab, 2012.
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• Kakoulli, Ioanna, and Christian Fischer. The Techniques and Materials of the Wall Paintings at the Enkleistra of St. Neophytos (Phase II). Dumbarton Oaks Project Grant Report. Washington, DC: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Harvard University, 2012.
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• Stathopoulos, Leonidas. Greek Manuscript Traditions in Cyprus. Athens: National Hellenic Research Foundation, 2010.
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• Tsiknopoullos, Ioannis P. Saint Neophytos the Recluse and His Monastery. Nicosia: Holy Monastery of St. Neophytos, 1973. (In Greek).
• Tsiamis, Nikos. “Architectural Developments at Saint Neophytos’ Enkleistra.” Byzantine Architecture Review 11 (2014): 145–174.
• Winfield, David C. “Reports on Work at Monagri, Lagoudera, and Hagios Neophytos, Cyprus, 1969–1970.” Dumbarton Oaks Papers 25 (1971): 259–268.
• The Hermitage of St. Neophytos, Cyprus.  https://openheritage3d.org/project.php?id=D6HP4V