Kykkos Monastery
The Kykkos Monastery ( Kykkou , Greek Moni Panagias tou Kykkos ) is located ten kilometers west of Pedoulas in 1140 m above sea level in the Troodos and is due to its miraculous icon of Mary as the most powerful monastery in Cyprus . It is accessible via a winding road.
Founding legend
According to legend, the hermit monk Isaias was disturbed in his loneliness at the end of the 11th century by the governor of Cyprus, Manuel Voutoumetes, who lost his way while hunting. The monk was kicked when he refused to show the way. The governor, who fell ill after his return home, asked the monk's forgiveness. This healed him on the instruction of the Mother of God who appeared in the dream , whereupon he received an icon of Mary of the Emperor of Constantinople painted by the Evangelist Luke in return .
Monastery complex
Since the facility was repeatedly destroyed by fires and earthquakes , the current facility dates from the 19th and 20th centuries. The frescoes and mosaics of the cloister corridors created in the 1990s shine in full splendor . A black arm is said to recall the alleged sacrilege of a black man who lit a cigarette from the oil lamp in front of the icon, whereupon his arm is said to have turned into bronze . In gratitude for his salvation, a seaman donated the sword of a swordfish , which can be seen inside the church.
Choir
Corridor with frescoes
Monastery courtyard
Marienkirche
altar
Today the monastery maintains numerous farms that are centrally managed from Nicosia and also owns large estates. It supports schools, hospitals and museums and has great political influence.
Mary icon
According to the orthodox view, the icon of the Mother of God Mary was painted on a wooden board by the Evangelist Luke during the lifetime of the Mother of God and, due to its authenticity , served as a model for countless portraits . It is studded with silver and gold and set in a precious frame. In 1080 the icon was a gift from the Byzantine emperor Nikephorus III. to found the monastery. Over many years, the icon is said to have brought long-awaited rain to entire areas that have suffered from drought. The image of the Virgin, which is always veiled, cannot be viewed these days.
museum
In 1997 an extensive museum was built in the north-west wing of the monastery , which is beautifully designed and refers to its sacred surroundings. The granite and marble floors contrast with the ornate walnut ceiling. Valuable ecclesiastical treasures such as early Christian crosses , smoking vessels, chalices , reliquaries in book form, monstrances and vestments are exhibited. In addition to carvings and Byzantine frescoes, ceramics and religious writings can also be seen. A four-meter-long manuscript from the 12th century with the Chysostomos liturgy, which is still used today, is one of the oldest manuscripts.
Guests / tourism
The monastery strictly pays attention to appropriate clothing: long trousers for men, knee-length skirts for women. Guests without appropriate clothing receive a habit at the entrance . Many baptisms and wedding celebrations take place in the monastery, but a guest wing is only open to locals. A large restaurant and snack bars cater to the numerous guests.
Surroundings of Kykkos
Makarios tomb
On a hill two kilometers away, soldiers stand as honor guards at the grave of Archbishop Makarios III. who spent several years as a novice in the Kykkos monastery. During his lifetime he had a chapel built near which his grave is located. In the 1950s, the monastery supported the underground movement EOKA in the fight for freedom .
The great Makarios monument was brought to Kykkos Monastery from Nicosia in 2009.
Valley of the Cedars
The Valley of the Cedars (Greek Koilada tou Kedrou ) is a secluded valley at 1,100 m above sea level on the southern slope of the 1,408- meter-high Tripylos , about 18 kilometers from the Kykkos monastery. It is accessible on a dirt winding road. The cedar is a symbol of death among the people; the seclusion and silence of the untouched nature is impressive here. An estimated 40,000 Cyprus cedars ( Cedrus brevifolia ) stand in this valley. This cedar species, formerly regarded as a subspecies of the protected Lebanon cedar , was once used for building ships and houses.
Stavros tis Psokas
The lonely forest station about 20 kilometers away from the monastery at 800 m above sea level is surrounded by volcanic mountain peaks. There is a view of the Pafos forest, the largest contiguous pine forest in Cyprus with a game reserve for mouflons and some circular hiking trails .
literature
- Astrid Feltes-Peter, Barbara Peters, Wolfgang Hassenpflug: Cyprus . Baedeker, Ostfildern-Kemnat near Stuttgart 1992, ISBN 3-87504-419-3 .
- Gesine Harms (editor): Cyprus . 6th edition. Marco Polo-Redaktion / Mairs Geographischer Verlag / Hachette, Ostfildern 1996, ISBN 3-89525-427-4 .
Web links
Coordinates: 34 ° 59 ′ 0.9 ″ N , 32 ° 44 ′ 28.1 ″ E