Monastery of Kykko

Monastery of Kykko Cyprus Usefull Information

As well as being the richest monastery in Cyprus, Kykko or Cikko enjoys prestige throughout the whole Greek Orthodox Church, the abbot ranking with bishops of the church. Throughout many centuries, the monastery amassed great and profitable property abroad, largely due to associations with Tsarist Russia. Since the Russian Revolution, Kykko has come to depend solely on its estates and investments inside Cyprus. Fame abroad began with its foundation c. A.D. 1080 when the Byzantine governor of Cyprus, being grateful for a cure by the local hermit Isaiah, procured from the emperor in Constantinople the miraculous golden icon of the Virgin which is one of the three reputed to have been painted by St Luke. This precious icon has survived fires which have several times destroyed the monastery. It is now covered with silver-gilt, and by a cloth decorated with seed pearls, and stands in the monastery church in an elaborate shrine of mother of pearl and tortoise-shell. It is especially venerated as a bringer of rain. Processions of pilgrims traditionally gathered to carry rain working images to curious outdoor thrones or chairs on the mountain slopes. The windswept trees of this exposed ridge can be seen to be permanently bowed as though in respect a feature which is observed with awe by the crowds who throng to the monastery on its feast day.

Ever since medieval times, Kykko Monastery has been regarded as a sanctuary. It fulfilled this function as late as the period of the British occupation, as well as being so actively concerned with EOKA operations that at one time its buildings had to be occupied by Commandos and the Gordon Highlanders (1956).

Due to repeated destruction by fire, and to pillage by the Turks in 1821, nothing of great antiquarian interest is on view, except of course the icon described above, a curious relic or two and some ancient books which are kept in the church's treasury. The layout of the conventual buildings is roughly triangular in form, following the shape of the site. There are two principal courtyards with cloisters, and several ranges of buildings which provide hospice accommodation for a large number of guests.

About 3 m. farther along the Kambos and Xeros road, before reaching Chakistra, take a left turning. Another left fork about 11 m. further on leads to Cedars Valley. This route keeps to the south of Mount Tripylos (4,619 ft). The cedar of Cyprus (c. brevifolia) is indigenous. It is outstandingly beautiful in these mountain areas, which are otherwise rather monotonously covered with pines, or dotted with low-growing scrub. The unproductive growth, however, is gradually being replaced by plantations. The cedars were until recently threatened by extinction by fire, and by the depredations of goats and the need for firewood, but they are now strictly protected. It is relevant that the Department of Forests issues a map of Cyprus showing vast areas where the keeping of goats is prohibited. The tour should be continued as far as Stavros tis Psokas Forest Station. This is the headquarters of the Paphos Forest District, which maintains a rest house for visitors. A feature of Stavros tis Psokas is the Moufflon Enclosure, where this strange breed of wild mountain sheep may be seen in its natural habitat. The males and the females occupy separate ranges. They are fawny brown in colour, and the males have huge archaic curled horns. These animals are re-establishing themselves at free range in the surrounding forest, after a critical period when their numbers had declined to the verge of extinction. But the wild moufflon are indeed wild, and prefer inaccessible places. The best way to be certain of seeing them is to walk the perimeter of the enclosure, which provides a more realistic environment than can be simulated in zoological gardens.

A short distance beyond the point of access to the moufflon enclosure, at a higher level, are terraces providing a nursery for forest trees, principally the giant C. brevifolia, where these may be inspected at their different stages of growth.

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