PAFO (Πάφος, Paphos). - A city of Cyprus, now Baffa, a small port on the western coast of the Island, which, together with the nearby centre of Ktinia, has approximately 5,000 inhabitants.
Old P. (πολανά) of Homeric times, famous for its temple of Astarte, identified by the Greeks with Aphrodite (Venus), stood approximately 15 km west-southwest of new P. (Baffa). In the latter, destroyed by an earthquake in 18-17 B.C. and rebuilt in 15 B.C. by Augustus (with the surname Sebaste), the Roman proconsul resided. One of these, Sergio Paolo (v.), mentioned in an inscription found at Soli (ἐνὶ Παύλου [ἀνθ]-υπάτου), was converted by s. Paolo, despite the Bar Iesu (v.), surnamed Elymas, who was punished for this by s. Paolo with temporary blindness.
In the account of the episode s. Luca (Act. 13, 12-13) changes the Apostle’s name: «Saul, who is also Paul».
At P. Paolo, Barnaba, Perge (v.). In a bilingual inscription of the third century A.D. the city is called «Sebaste, Claudia, Flavia, Paphos, sacred metropolis of the cities of Cyprus».