Annual Good Friday reenactment of the crucifixion in Kathikas

On Good Friday, the community of Kathikas in the Akamas municipality held its traditional reenactment of the procession to the crucifixion. The custom involves a wooden cross being carried from the chapel of Agios Onoufrios to the church of Panagia Evangelistria in the village center, covering a distance of 500 meters. The tradition was established around 1964 by the local priest Savvas Papasavvas, who was inspired by similar rites he witnessed in Jerusalem. During the event, the Deputy Mayor of the Akamas municipality, Charalambos Phylaktou, portrays Jesus Christ, accompanied by residents in period costumes. Sources provide slightly conflicting estimates regarding the tradition's duration, citing either approximately 60 or 65 years. The event attracts numerous local residents and tourists, serving as a significant cultural and religious practice for the region. The procession concludes at the church courtyard shortly before the Great Hours service and the Deposition from the Cross.