Vasilis Michaelides (Greek: Βασίλης Μιχαηλίδης, before 1853–18 December 1917) is considered by many and often referred to as the national poet of Cyprus. Michaelides was born in Lefkoniko, a village in the Famagusta District of Cyprus, between 1849 and 1853. In 1862 he moved to Nicosia to attend Secondary School. His first contact with the arts came in the form of religious icons in the archbishopric in Nicosia, where he trained as an artist. He subsequently moved to the Diocese of Larnaca where concentrated on painting in the care of his uncle. In 1873 he published his first poems "Usury" (Greek: Η Τοκογλυφία) and "Nightingales and Owls" (Greek: Αηδόνια και Κουκουβάγιες) and in 1875 he moved to Naples, Italy for further studies in painting. Michaelides left Italy in 1877 and went to Greec