Macheras: Byzantine-style monastery in Cyprus

High on the slopes of the Maheras Mountains, among the pine forests, about 40 km southwest of Nicosia, is the quiet Monastery of the Virgin Mary of Maheras. Founded at the end of the 12th century on the site where the miraculous icon attributed to the Apostle Luke was found, the institution got its name from the Greek word machairi ("knife"), a symbol of the divine power that opened the shrine.

Over the centuries, the monastery developed as a royal, Stavropol monastery, which had a special status and patronage. Its elegant Byzantine architecture with its red tiled roof, domed temple, monks' cells, arcades and cozy courtyard gives a feeling of peace and reverence. Despite the fires and restorations, the carved iconostasis and the especially revered icon still occupy a central place.

Today, this remote, secluded place continues to serve as a home for a fraternity of monks living in the spirit of strict ascetic traditions. At the same time, the monastery attracts pilgrims and travelers looking for silence, natural beauty and a sense of eternity, captured in its stones and forest trails.