Monastery of Stavrovouni in Cyprus: history, description, photo. How to get to the monastery?

The place where St. Helen laid the monastery of Stavrovuni and left part of the Life-Giving Cross was called the Cross Mountain, which in Greek means "stavros" - a cross, "vuno" - a mountain.

Christianity in Cyprus

Cyprus became the first province of the Roman Empire, where the Christian became the power. The history of Christianity on the island began in the year 45 of the Nativity of Christ, and was closely associated with the Apostles Barnabas and Paul. They began to preach a new religion during their first trip to Cyprus. The ruler of Cyprus, Lucius Sergius Paulus, the apostle Paul converted to Christianity.

Since ancient times, Cyprus is called "Island of Saints" thanks to hundreds of saints and martyrs who with true faith confronted many conquerors who occupied this island at different times.

Thanks to the large number of churches and monasteries, including the oldest Orthodox monastery of Stavrovouni, Cyprus still attracts many pilgrims from around the world.

Pilgrimage of Saint Helena

Mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, Saint Elena professed Christianity since at the age of almost sixty years she adopted religion after her son. Thanks to her, a large number of Orthodox buildings were erected, including the monastery of Stavrovouni in Cyprus.

The Emperor Constantine, wishing to find the Life-Giving Cross (on which Jesus Christ was crucified), sent his mother, Queen Helen, to Jerusalem. She found Calvary, and on the site of the crucifixion of Christ she found three crosses, one of which, according to legend, was the inscription: "This is the king of the Jews."

Before departing on the return journey, St. Helena ordered to clear all traces of paganism from the life of the Lord and the Virgin. In their place, Christian churches were erected. Leaving Palestine, Elena sawed the Cross of the Lord and took with him only a part of it.

The history of the monastery

During the return journey from Palestine to Constantinople, Saint Elena founded several monasteries, each of which left parts of the Life-giving Cross. This was preceded by significant events.

According to legend, on the road they were caught by a storm, and it was decided to take cover and wait for the elements in one of the bays off the coast of Cyprus. At night Elena saw a wonderful dream, in which a young man appeared to her and said that it was necessary to build a monastery and leave part of the Cross of the Lord in it. The next day it was discovered that one of the crosses mysteriously disappeared from the ship. Later St. Helena and her companions saw this cross hovering in the air above the summit of Mount Olympus.

Thanks to this sign Queen Helen decided to build the monastery exactly in this place. She personally laid the stone in the foundation of the building, and gave the church one of the big crosses and a particle from the Cross of the Lord.

So in 326 on the 700 meter mountain appeared the Monastery of Stavrovouni, and, despite its tragic fate, it still stands there. He was repeatedly attacked by conquerors, who were many during the long history of the monastery. In 1821, during the Greek uprising, the monks who had taken shelter in the secret crypt of the monastery were discovered and brutally killed. In 1887 the monastery was almost completely destroyed by a violent fire.

In 1888, its restoration began, and after a while there was conducted water and electricity. Today the monastery of Stavrovouni has been completely restored and continues to be a holy place for pilgrims.

Decoration and life of the monastery

Rising above the sea level, the monastery opens its visitors an unusual, fascinating view. Standing on the viewing platform, you feel some extraordinary feeling of weightlessness and unification with something really great.

The building in the form of a quadrangle is located on a solitary mountain so that it is as if its harmonious continuation. One of its sides looks at the Mediterranean Sea. Layed out of gray brick walls, fortified by buttresses, with small apertures for windows, amaze with their grandeur and inaccessibility. The courtyard seems too small and cramped for a Byzantine church with a three-tier bell tower.

All the interior of the monastery, devoid of luxury and sophistication, speaks for itself. Living here for a long time have refused all superfluous and worldly.

The vaults of the main temple of Stavrovouni are adorned with the frescoes of the work of the monk Callinicos. They come to life the most significant moments in the life of the monastery - the scene of finding the Life-giving Cross and folded hands in prayer, the Empress Helen.

You can see the workshop of the icon painter, in which the traditions of the Byzantine church are preserved. It is located opposite the lower courtyard, bearing the name of St. Barbara. Also here you can visit the Church of All Saints of Cyprus, built in 2000. It stands opposite the monastery of Stavrovouni, on the very edge of the mountain.

Monks living in the monastery, adhere to strict rules and regulations, set by the first rector Dionysus. Their main occupations are subsistence farming, icon painting, and cooking incense.

What you need to know

There are some prohibitions that you should know when going to the Monastery of Stavrovuni. Photo and video are strictly prohibited here. Also, it is not allowed to enter the monastery in beach clothes. It is not allowed to enter into the women. But this does not mean that the ladies should not climb the mountain. They will have something to see and in addition to interior decoration.

Every day, except for a break from eleven o'clock in the morning to two in the afternoon, you can visit the Monastery of Stavrovouni.

How to get there

Magnificent mountain landscapes, bordering on the sea, open during a trip along serpentine roads in Cyprus. In order to get to one of the most revered monasteries, you can use the services of a guide and go to your destination as part of the tour group.

As public transportation does not go here, the second option would be renting a car. It will drive about 40 kilometers from Limassol towards Larnaka, and then turn to Nicosia. Then there will be a turn directly leading to the monastery. Even if you are a beginner in tourism, a lot of pointers will not let you go astray.

During this trip you can also see other monasteries and a large number of observation platforms. This trip will stay in your memory for a long time the most vivid and incredible impressions.