It is a single-roomed arched church that was built in the 18th century on a peninsula to the north of the settlement Partheni. There are really original religious paintings on its walls that are not congruent with the Byzantine style. On the contrary, they refer to modernism. During the dictatorship, the temple was desert, until a group of political prisoners including Manolis Glezos and the visual artists Kir. Tsakiris, Ant. Karagiannis and T. Tzaneteas decided to repair it. The three exiled painters created women of Leros and policemen in its internal innovative religious patterns using as models their inmates. From the beginning of the construction in 1969 until the completion 8 months later, the residents of the island supported this project. Nevertheless, during the change of polity (restoration of democracy), some people that belonged to conservative sects limed a part of the wall paintings. Nowadays, the church of Agia Kioura constitutes a historical classified monument and it is protected by the State. The exquisite work of Jesus Christ’s funeral is undoubtedly remarkable.
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The poet Giannis Ritsos was also exiled to Partheni at that time. It was here that he was inspired to create the oeuvre “18 lianotragouda tis pikris patridas” that was set to music by Mikis Theodorakis along with the magnificent “Ti Romiosini min tin klais”.
