The Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Cyprus (14/09)

The Exaltation of the Cross — is one of the most significant religious holidays celebrated on the island. Every year on this day, Cypriots try to come to church and pray for their relatives. Those who have the opportunity to attend the festive service certainly do so.

Once upon a time, many centuries ago, Queen Helena (mother of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine the Great) wanted to find the Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified in Jerusalem. After a lengthy search, the Cross was found in 326, and Helena went home to Constantinople with an invaluable find. The storm disrupted her sailing route, and the ship landed on the shores of the island of Cyprus, where too few people lived at that time, and even they suffered from many years of drought and could barely survive in such conditions.

Having landed on the shore, Elena dozed off in the shade of the trees, tired of the turbulent journey. According to legend, in a dream she was given a vision in which a bright young man appeared, telling her that she should erect a temple on the island in the name of the Cross of the Lord. When Elena woke up, she discovered that one particle of the Life-Giving Cross was missing. Moreover, along with the particle, the cross of one of the robbers, who was crucified along with the savior and believed in Christ, disappeared. This Cross was found on the highest mountain in Cyprus — Olympos (1951 meters).

After this, Elena and everyone who was next to her saw a fiery and luminous pillar in the sky. Approaching him, Elena saw the missing particle of the Holy Cross and realized that the church needed to be built here.

After the construction of the church and small monastery, the heat and drought that had reigned on the island for almost 20 years disappeared. It rained, people began to feel more comfortable, fields began to plow, and harvests began to gather. Elena ordered the resettlement of Syrians, Antiochians and Arabs to Cyprus to increase the population of the island.

Over time, part of the Tree of the Lord was placed in a large cross, which was made especially for the monastery by cabinetmakers. The monastery began to settle in more and more monks.

Now the Stavrovuni Monastery («Education of the Cross», Greek stavros — cross) lives according to the strict Athonite charter. Only men are allowed into the monastery territory and shrines. Women are strictly prohibited from entering here.

Over the years, the monastery has been destroyed more than once; some of the ancient frescoes disappeared without a trace. But still, the monastery, hovering at an altitude of 690 meters, makes an unforgettable impression even with just an outside glance.

Every year, on September 14, bishops, «-high» guests and male pilgrims come to the monastery for the Feast of the Exaltation. The monks prepare for this day for a whole year, decorate the monastery and greet guests warmly.

The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord on September 27.

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