The power of faith.
The Cypriots are an extremely religious people, with the vast majority being Orthodox Christians, and no visit to the island is complete without visiting some of the magnificent churches there.It was whilst visiting some of them that I noticed what I thought was quite an odd thing, namely what looked like dolls made out of wax sitting near the altars of some churches. Not only dolls, but effigies of arms, legs, heads and other parts of the body (I think it is meant to be a heart to the left of the photo). Intrigued, I asked my Cypriot girlfriend what it was all about and she informed me that if someone was sick, they, or someone on their behalf, would take a wax effigy of the afflicted part of the body, pray, and leave it at the Church. The belief is that this will effect a cure. Now you won't see this in all Churches, but if you visit enough, you will certainly see it.
