In the Footsteps of the Apostles — Saint Paul and Saint Barnabas in Cyprus
Cyprus holds a special place in Christian history: it appears in the Acts of the Apostles as one of the first missionary journeys of the early Church. In 2026, you can still trace that path across the island.
The first missionary journey
Around 45 AD, the Apostles Paul and Barnabas, together with Mark, sailed to Cyprus and travelled from Salamis in the east to Paphos in the west, preaching in the synagogues. In Paphos, tradition holds that they converted the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus — one of the earliest conversions of a senior Roman official recorded in Scripture.
Saint Barnabas — son of Cyprus
Barnabas was himself a Cypriot, born in Salamis, and is honoured as the founder and patron saint of the Church of Cyprus. His tomb was discovered near Salamis in the 5th century, along with a copy of the Gospel of Matthew — a discovery that helped secure the independence of the Cypriot Church. The beautiful Monastery of Saint Barnabas near Famagusta still marks the site.
Places to visit
- Salamis: vast ancient ruins near the eastern coast, where the mission began.
- Saint Barnabas Monastery: a serene domed church and museum honouring the apostle.
- Paphos: home to early Christian sites and, by tradition, Saint Paul's Pillar, associated with the apostle's visit.
- Agia Kyriaki Chrysopolitissa (Paphos): an atmospheric church built among early Christian basilica ruins.
Why it moves people
To stand where the first Christian missionaries walked — beside Roman stones and early basilicas, with the Mediterranean shining nearby — connects you to the very roots of a faith that shaped Europe and the world.
In 2026, the apostolic story of Cyprus is not distant history; it is written into the island's stones, churches and name.