Paliometocho is a large, exclusively Greek village in the Nicosia district, located about 20 kilometers southwest of the city of Nicosia. The village is built near the western bank of the Merika stream, a tributary of the Serrache River, at an average altitude of 230 meters. The village has existed since medieval times and during the period of Frankish rule, it appears to have been a private feudal estate. According to local tradition, the village owes its name to the fact that there was originally a metochi (monastic dependency) of the Monastery of Panagia Machairas in the area. The name Paliometocho (meaning "Old Metochi") derives from this old monastic estate. Therefore, the founding of the village can be dated to the late Byzantine period. The village still preserves many elements of traditional folk architecture, with brickwork (plinthari) being the main building material.
http://dim-palaiometocho1-lef.schools.ac.cy/community.html
The Church of Panagia Chrysogalaktousa is built in the center of the old core of the village, surrounded by picturesque neighborhoods consisting of houses that follow the traditional architecture of the lowland areas of the island, mainly reflecting the architectural style of the villages in the Mesaoria region. The church is constructed from stones of limestone poros in the form of a single-aisled basilica. It follows the same architectural style found in most churches built from the late years of Ottoman rule until the mid-20th century. This style is Byzantine but bears strong Gothic architectural influences, visible both in the roof and in the windows and entrances. The construction of the church began in the early years of the 20th century and was completed and consecrated in 1905.
Πώς έφυγαν οι Τούρκοι από το Παλιομέτοχο (Παράδοση).
-Μα είναι ζορπάς, επαναστάτης;
-Εμείς θα τον σκοτώσουμε και θα πούμε πως είναι επαναστάτης. Ξεκινάνε με τσεκούρια και μαχαίρια και πάνε να του πάρουν το κεφάλι.. Όμως ο ξένος τους πήρε είδηση. Το τσιφλίκι είχε λαγούμια,σειρά από λάκκους ξέβαθους με νερό που τα είχαν άλλοτε κατασκευάσει οι Ενετοί για την άρδευση. Κι ο άνθρωπος πρόλαβε να τρυπώσει εκεί μέσα και να γλυτώσει. Οι Τούρκοι πήγαν και την άλλη νύχτα και την παράλλη κι ο Κωνσταντινουπολίτης κρυβότανε μέσα στους λάκκους και τα λαγούμια. Την τρίτη νύχτα σκέφτηκε να πάει να κάνει παράπονο στον Πασά της Χώρας.
Την ώρα που χάραζε ο ήλιος, Ανατολή ματωμένη και χρυσή, κι απάνω σ' αυτό το φόντο μιναρέδες και τρούλοι της Χώρας, κάποιο χέρι κτυπούσε τα κρικέλια της πόρτας του Πασά. Άνοιξαν οι ζαπτιέδες.
-Ποιος είναι που χτυπά πρωί ξημερώματα;
-Ένας ξένος πασά μου. Τα ρούχα του είναι βρεγμένα, λασπωμένα και σχισμένα-Πες του να έρθει μέσα να δούμε τι θέλει.
Μπαίνει μέσα και λέει:
-Ήρταν ψεςοι τούρκοι του Παλιομετόχου να με σκοτώσουν
-Καλά να σου κάνουν,αφού σήκωσες κεφάλι ενάντια στους αφέντες σου
-Όχι Πασά μου, δεν σήκωσα κεφάλι. Ένα τσιφλίκι νοίκιασα εκεί κοντά και το καλλιεργώ. Τίποτε παραπάνω...
Την ώρα που γινόταν αυτός ο διάλογος ο ξένος περιεργαζόταν προσεχτικά τον Πασά.Και σε μια στιγμή λέει.
-Πασά μου μου επιτρέπεις να σε ρωτήσω κάτι;
-Λέγε, τί είναι;
-Πασά μου εσύ δεν είσαι ο Μουσταφάς από την Ισταμπούλ;
-Ναι, αυτός είμαι. Πού με ξέρεις;
-Για κοίταξε με καλά, εσύ δεν με γνωρίζεις;
-Όχι λέει ο Πασάς, δεν σε γνωρίζω. Ποιός είσαι;
-Δεν θυμάσαι που παίζαμε μαζί στην ίδια γειτονιά; Που τα σπίτια μας είναι δίπλα-δίπλα και είμαστε πάντα αχώριστοι φίλοι; Που μια μέρα κινδύνεψες να πνιγείς στη θάλασσα του Μαρμαρά και σε έσωσα;
-Ρε Κωνσταντή εσύ είσαι; δεν σε γνώρισα
-Ναι εγώ είμαι.
Ο μουσταφά Πασάς σηκώθηκε συγκινημένος, αγκάλιασε τον αδελφικό του φίλο Κωνσταντή και τον φίλησε.
-Πηγαίνετε στο Παλιομέτοχο, διέταξε τους ζαπτιέδες του, και να πείτε στους τούρκους κατοίκους νάρθουν εδώ και τους θέλω.
Ήρθαν οι τούρκοι του Παλιομετόχου με τις φοράδες τους και με τα καλά τους ρούχα με την σκέψη ότι αφού μας θέλει ο Πασάς της Χώρας, για κάτι καλό θα μας θέλει. Κάμανε όλοι τεμενά μπροστά του και του φιλήσανε το χέρι, ένας-ένας με τη σειρά.
-Ε τι χαμπάρια, λέει ο Πασάς. Μήπως ήρθεν κανένας μέσα στις περιοχές σας, να σηκώσει επανάσταση, να μας σκοτώσει όλους;
-Ναι ήρτεν ένας ξένος απ' έξω και νοικίασε ένα τσιφλίκι εκεί κοντά και τον γυρεύουμε να τον σκοτώσουμε.
-Και γιατί δεν τον σκοτώσατε;
-Δεν τον ηύραμε. χάθηκε. Είναι δυο-τρεις νύχτες που τον γυρεύουμε και δεν τον βρίσκουμε.
Ο Κωνσταντής ήταν κρυμμένος στη μέσα σάλα. Ο Πασάς τον φωνάζει να παρουσιαστεί.
-Αυτός είναι ρώτησε.
-Ναι, αυτός είναι.
-Τί απόδειξη έχετε ότι ο άνθρωπος αυτός είναι επαναστάτης;
Οι τούρκοι του Παλιομετόχου δεν αποκρίθηκαν
-Τί σας πείραξε αυτός ο άνθρωπος και θέλετε να τον σκοτώσετε; Τσιμουδιά.
-Ο άνθρωπος αυτός είναι αδελφικός μου φίλος και αφού τον κατατρέχετε άδικα πρέπει να τιμωρηθείτε. Σε εικοσιτέσσερις ώρες θέλω να φύγετε από το Παλιομέτοχο και να πάτε αλλού, ούτε ο σκύλος σας να μείνει ούτε ο γάτος σας.
-Αμάν Αφέντη μου αμάν Πασά μου έλεος΄. Του φιλούσαν τα χέρια , του φιλούσαν τά πόδια,τίποτα..Ο Πασάς έμεινε αμετάπιστος.
Και πριν περάσουν εικοσιτέσσερις ώρες οι τούρκοι είχαν φύγει από το Παλιομέτοχο. Άλλοι πήγαν στην Κόσιη, άλλοι στη Λέμεσό κι άλλοι αλλού. Και δεν έμεινε ούτε ένας. Έτσι πραγματοποιήθηκε η κατάρα του Αρχιεπισκόπου.
Η παράδοση διεσώθη από τον Νέαρχο Γεωργιάδη.
At the end of the Ottoman period and the beginning of British rule, Turks had settled in the village, but they left in the early years of the 20th century. How the Turks left Paliometocho (Tradition)
Before Archbishop Kyprianos, who was martyred in 1821, the Archbishop of Cyprus was Chrysanthos. This is also confirmed by the words of the priests who, when commemorating deceased Archbishops, said:
".........Chrysanthos, Kyprianos, Ioakeim, Damaskinos, Panaretos......." Our grandfathers used to say that when Chrysanthos got angry, he cursed severely—and usually, those curses came true. During his pastoral visits to stay in touch with the faithful, Archbishop Chrysanthos came to our village around 1800. At that time, there were 19 Greek families and 21 Turkish families living in Paliometocho. The fertile fields and wealth were mostly owned by the Turks. Where the "Omonoia" square is today used to be the Turks’ mosque. As Chrysanthos passed by, the Turks insulted and verbally abused him. That night he stayed at the cantor Loizis’s house, but he couldn’t sleep. He was very angry. The next morning, during his sermon, he said:
"For whom do the Ottoman rulers of this place take me? Why did they insult me? I wish that within a century, the Greeks of the village would number a thousand, and not a single Turk would remain."
Days and years passed. Then, a rebellion broke out in Cyprus led by Greeks. The Turkish governor issued a decree: “Whoever brings the head of a Christian rebel will receive a large reward.” A Greek man from Constantinople had come to Cyprus, rented a farm (tsiflik) in the area called “Nio Chorko” from the Hanis (descendants of Venetians), and began cultivating it peacefully. When the Turks of Paliometocho heard of the governor Küçük Mehmet’s decree, they said among themselves:
“There’s a Christian foreigner in our area. Shouldn’t we kill him and get the reward?”
“But is he really a rebel?”
“We’ll kill him and claim he’s a rebel.”
Armed with axes and knives, they went to take his head. But the foreigner realized their plan. The tsiflik had tunnels and pits filled with water, originally built by the Venetians for irrigation. He managed to hide in those tunnels and escape. The Turks tried again the next night, but the man was hiding inside the pits and tunnels. On the third night, he decided to complain to the Pasha of the city. At dawn, with the sun rising blood-red and golden, casting light on the minarets and domes of the city, someone knocked on the Pasha’s door. The guards opened it.
“Who is knocking so early?”
“A stranger, Pasha. His clothes are wet, muddy, and torn. Tell him to come in.”
The man entered and said:
“Last night the Turks of Paliometocho tried to kill me.”
“Good for them, since you raised your head against your masters.”
“No, Pasha, I did not raise my head. I just rented a farm nearby and cultivate it. Nothing more.”
While this dialogue was happening, the stranger was studying the Pasha carefully. Suddenly he said:
“Pasha, may I ask you something?”
“Go ahead, what is it?”
“Pasha, aren’t you Mustafa from Istanbul?”
“Yes, that’s me. How do you know me?”
“Look at me carefully. Don’t you recognize me?”
“No,” said the Pasha, “I don’t know you. Who are you?”
“Don’t you remember that we used to play together in the same neighborhood? Our houses were next to each other, and we were inseparable friends? One day you almost drowned in the Sea of Marmara, and I saved you?”
“Kostas, is that you? I didn’t recognize you.”
“Yes, it’s me.”
The Pasha Mustafa stood up moved, hugged his close friend Kostas, and kissed him.
“Go to Paliometocho,” he ordered his guards, “and tell the Turks of the village to come here. I want to see them.”
The Turks of Paliometocho came with their horses and their best clothes, thinking that since the Pasha of the city wanted to see them, it must be for something good. They all bowed and kissed his hand one by one.
“So, what news?” said the Pasha. “Has anyone risen in rebellion in your area to kill us all?”
“Yes, a foreigner came from outside, rented a farm nearby, and we are trying to kill him.”
“And why haven’t you killed him?”
“We didn’t find him… he disappeared. We’ve been searching for him for two or three nights and can’t find him.”
Kostas was hiding in the inner room. The Pasha called him out.
“Is this the man?” he asked.
“Yes, that’s him.”
“What proof do you have that this man is a rebel?”
The Turks of Paliometocho remained silent.
“Why do you want to kill this man?”
Silence.
“This man is my dear friend, and since you are persecuting him unjustly, you must be punished. Within twenty-four hours, you must leave Paliometocho and go elsewhere. Not even a dog or a cat of yours should remain here.”
“Oh master, oh Pasha, have mercy!” they begged, kissing his hands and feet. Nothing worked—the Pasha was firm.
Before twenty-four hours passed, the Turks had left Paliometocho. Some went to Kosi, some to Limassol, others elsewhere. Not a single Turk remained. Thus, the curse of the Archbishop was fulfilled.This tradition was preserved by Nearhos Georgiadis.
http://dim-palaiometocho1-lef.schools.ac.cy/community.html
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