Kykkos monastery, is the most famous in Cyprus. If you decide to go to the Troodos mountains, then you need to plan a visit. On the top of the mountain above, the monastery is also the grave of Archbishop Makarios III. It offers beautiful views of the Troodos mountains, including the highest peak of Olympus.
The Kykkos monastery is located near the village of Pedoulas. It has the status of a "Royal" monastery, since it was founded in 1040 by decree of the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. There is a legend that a hermit who lived in a cave on the site of the Kykkos monastery helped him heal his daughter. In return, he asked to give the monastery a Miraculous icon of the Holy Virgin. It became the main relic of the monastery of Kykkos.
The miracle-working icon of The Kykkos Holy Virgin is one of the oldest icons. It is believed that it was painted by the Evangelist Luke during the earthly life of the Mother of God. Unwilling to part with the icon, Emperor Alexius Komnenos ordered an exact copy to be made and offered Isaiah a choice. According to legend, a bee sat on the original icon. Since then the bee became a symbol of the Kykkos monastery.
The Emperor ordered to build a monastery for the icon, and also ordered to hide the icon from human eyes, saying: "No one will ever see the Face of Holy Virgin and Child in Constantinople again. Let no one see the miraculous image in Cyprus. From now it will be covered with a veil." The Kykkos monastery has been carrying out this decree of the Emperor for more than a thousand years. The icon is completely hidden by the revetment (metal cover protecting the Icon).
The monastery was originally built of wood, but in 1365 its buildings and temples were first made of stone. Since then, the monastery has expanded many times. Most of the monastery`s buildings were made in the second half of the 16th century. The main Cathedral of the monastery, where the Kykkos Icon of the Holy Virgin is kept, was built in 1541.
A large number of Byzantine mosaic panels have been preserved on the walls of monk’s cells buildings and on the walls of churches in the Kykkos monastery. By their number, the monastery can be compared with St. Mark Basilica in Venice and the Cathedral of the Savior on Blood in St. Petersburg.
In 1926, Archbishop Makarios III, who was very revered in Cyprus, became a novice of the Kykkos monastery at the age of 13. He later became the Primate of the Church of Cyprus and the first President of Cyprus when the country gained its independence in 1960. He was buried on the mountain of Throni, which rises above the monastery. After visiting the monastery, you should go up to the Tomb of Makarios III.
