BASLE - Swiss police have seized two 17th century stolen Byzantine icons from the occupied part of Cyprus found in the apartment of Russian collector Alexander Khochinskiy, the Church of Cyprus has announced in Nicosia.
The icons belonged to the 14th century chapel of Ayios Iacovos, in Trikomo village and they have been missing since the Turkish invasion of 1974. Recently, the Cyprus Church received information about the present location of the religious treasures and alerted the Cyprus police.
The icons were painted in 1620 by the Cretan agiographer Meletios. One of them depicts the enthroned Christ with John the Baptist turned towards him, while the other shows Mary on the throne holding Jesus in her left hand.
The occupation authorities have turned Ayios Iacovos chapel into a tourism office.