Trooditissa in Cyprus, Troodos resort
Rating: 7,5/10 (100 votes)  Trooditissa Monastery is located five kilometers from the village of Platres, at an altitude of 1392 meters above sea level. The monastery got its name in honor of the Trooditissa icon of the Mother of God. Due to the fact that the monastery is located at a high altitude, it is sometimes called"the first step to Heaven." This monastery is famous for its history, traditions and legends that have developed around it, for its great hard work its inhabitants, the internal order and the grandeur of the nature that surrounds it. The monastery was founded with the appearance on the island of an icon, which, according to legend, was painted by the Evangelist Luke, and brought to Cyprus by an ascetic monk , during the time of iconoclasm. From 762 to 787, the monk lived in the monastery of St. Nicholas in Akrotiri, until icon veneration was restored. After he went to live in a cave, taking the icon with him. After the death of the monk, it seemed that the icon had been lost. But after many years the icon was found again. In 990, a shepherd saw a light over the mountain. With the help of other Christians, overcoming obstacles, he reached the cave, where he discovered the miraculous icon, after which the locals decided to build a temple next to the cave. But, what was built by these people was destroyed in one night. Apparently, the desire of the Mother of God was different. An angel appeared to the people who built the temple and indicated the place where the monastery should be built (500 meters from the cave). The temple was built a few months later, and the icon was placed there. The monastery burned several times, but was rebuilt. After a fire in 1842, the monastery was rebuilt, and it is in this form that it has survived to this day. The main shrine of the monastery is the icon of the Mother of God, which in 1799 was decorated with a silver frame. This icon is famous for the fact that, turning to it, many childless women acquired the gift of childbirth. There is a miraculous belt among the shrines. The person who asks for the gift of children puts on a belt, and the priest reads a special prayer, after which the function of childbirth is restored.   We also recommend reading Spirit Valley Buddhist Temple in China, Nanjing Resort Topic: Trooditissa in Cyprus, Troodos resort. |
