The Kykkos monastery, which lies 20 km west of Pedoulas, is the most famous monastery in Cyprus. The Kykkos monastery was founded in 1092 by the by the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos and is dedicated to Virgin Mary and known for an icon of the mother of God believed to have been painted by St. Luke. The excursion to Kykkos Monastery is a main attraction. It is now the richest monastery in the island and possesses one of the three surviving icons ascribed to Saint Luke.

This icon, which is covered in silver gilt and enclosed in a shrine of tortoise shell and mother-of-pearl, holds an eminent position in the church, also see the Icon of Virgin Mary which in 1997 it is said was miraculously weeping for a whole month. Will then have the opportunity to visit the tomb of Archbishop Makarios III, the first President of Cyprus. His tomb is set among the pine forest of the Troodos foothills, 3Km west of Kykkos Monastery, where he served as a novice. Then on to Pedoulas village stroll through the villages small back streets.
The iconographic style of the icon of the Mother of God “Kykkotissa” differs from all other icon types of the Virgin Mary. It shows her with her child. Christ sits on the right side of the Virgin with his naked legs hanging down. At the beginning of the twelfth century, this icon type – “Kykkotissa” – was adopted by the Orthodox Christian world: by Cyprus, Egypt, Greece and larger areas in the Balkans. In the seventeenth century, thanks to the intellectual and cultural links with Cyprus, the “Kykkotissa” type was also adopted in Russia.
The icon was kept in the imperial palace at Constantinople. When Boutoumites heard the hermit’s wish he was taken aback because he considered such a thing impossible. Then Esaias explained to him that it was a matter of divine wish and they agreed to travel together to Constantinople for the realization of their aim.

Mosaic in a cloister of the Monastery. Tradition has it that Byzantine Emperor Alexios Comnenos I (1081-1118) was prompted to establish the monastery in 1100 after the hermit Isaiah, who lived in the Troodos mountains, revealed that his daughter could be healed from a rare incurable disease if he would consent to build a monastery and donate to it the icon of the Virgin he possessed, reputedly painted by the Apostle Luke.
An important thing to note is that women have to cover their legs otherwise will not be permitted to go in, although it’s ok for men to wear shorts which caught a lot of women out.The Kykkos monastery is a very well worth visit, especially if combined with a visit to Troodos mountain as it is only about 5 minutes away and on the same route.