Throni of Panagia: Tomb of Makarios III
The tomb of Archbishop Makarios III, the first President of the Republic of Cyprus
The story
Throni of Panagia means “throne of the Virgin”. It is a peak in the Troodos Mountains near Kykkos Monastery. In the past, in times of drought, the monks carried the Kykkos icon up here and prayed for rain. Just below the summit, on the north side, lies Archbishop Makarios III, the first President of the Republic of Cyprus. As a teenager he became a novice at Kykkos, and he chose the place for his grave himself. He died on August 3, 1977. The half-underground tomb with a dome was designed by the architect Andreas Philippou. Lower still, on a square, stands a large bronze statue of Makarios by Nikos Kotziamanis. It was moved here from the courtyard of the Archbishopric in Nicosia.
Makarios III was Archbishop of Cyprus from 1950 and the first President of the Republic of Cyprus: elected in December 1959, he took office in 1960. He died on August 3, 1977, and is buried at Throni near Kykkos Monastery; he came from the village of Panagia in Paphos District.
Visiting
Throni is not far from Kykkos Monastery and you can drive here; there is parking next to the statue. This is a place of remembrance and prayer, so modest clothing and quiet are appropriate. Every year in early August, for the anniversary of Makarios’s death, a memorial service is held at the monastery, and at the statue a short prayer for the dead is read and wreaths are laid.
Sources
- Ιερά Μονή Κύκκου — Το Θρονί της Παναγίας
- Ιερά Μονή Κύκκου — Διαπρέψαντες αδελφοί: Αρχιεπίσκοπος Κύπρου Μακάριος Γ΄
- Open University of Cyprus, Public Art in Cyprus — Archbishop Makarios III statue (N. Kotziamanis)
- Ιερά Μονή Κύκκου — Εθνικό και θρησκευτικό μνημόσυνο Μακαρίου Γ΄ (2026)
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