Choletria

The church of Agios Panteleimonas is a real gem for the village

Choletria is a village in Pafos district. According to tradition, the village Choletria has a life of about 500 years."Agia Eirini" (St. Irene) venue was the first area where Choletria was established in the past, which is located very close to today's village. A half-ruined, small church, the rubbles of some houses, and an olive-press are still extant today in this venue.

The main reason for abandoning the "Agia Eirini" venue was that it was placed upon a barrow across from the sea, that being a great disadvantage in that era; the Saracens and other aggressors easily spotted the village and -by disembarking in the shores -they made attacks and pillaged.

Then, for reasons of greater security, the inhabitants were compelled to move to another place -today being called "old village" - inside the "Xeros" valley, protected by the surrounding mountains and having plenty of water and fertile ground.

The village of Choletria, having being built at the foothills of the two mountains and at the banks of the Xeros River, resembled a great "choletra" (waterspout) because of the fissure and the form of the ground. It is believed that the community took its name due to this particularity of the area.

The church of Choletria dedicated to Agios Panteleimonas is a real gem for the community as it is located at the highest point of the village and dominates from far away.