Virgin Mary, Machairas Monastery, Christmas Issue Machairas Monastery, Republic of Cyprus

Virgin Mary, Machairas Monastery, Christmas Issue Machairas Monastery, Republic of Cyprus

Postage stamps--Cyprus--History

Γραμματόσημα--Κύπρος--Ιστορία

An old legend ascribes the founding of the monastery to an aged hermit called Neophytus. Expelled from Syria in the 12th Century, he came to Cyprus with his faithful disciple Ignatius and built a cell on mount Aoos. They sought and obtained Royal funds and land to build a church and a monastery. Soon more followers came and among them was Neilos who appears on the scene in 1172 and to whom the founding is now attributed. In 1201 Neilos wrote down the rules and regulations of the monastery and its early history which became known as the " Typical Ordinance of Machairas". In 1393 King James I and his court took refuge here during the period of the great plague.
In 1892 the church and the monastery were completely destroyed by fire and later re -built in their present form.
The Icon of the Virgin Mary and the Ordinance of Machairas survived this catastrophy and are preserved
in the monastery's small museum.
Today the monks and the abbot are all holders of University degrees not only in theology but in other
disciplines such as medicine, economics and engineering.
The monastery ranks second to that of Kykko in sanctity and importance.

Cyprus Post, Republic of Cyprus

Κυπριακά Ταχυδρομεία, Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία

Cyprus Post, Republic of Cyprus

Κυπριακά Ταχυδρομεία, Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία

Library of Cyprus University of Technology

Digital Heritage Research Lab of Cyprus University of Technology

25th October 2001

Designer: G. Theofylaktou

Απαγορεύεται η δημοσίευση ή αναπαραγωγή, ηλεκτρονική ή άλλη χωρίς τη γραπτή συγκατάθεση του δημιουργού.

www.cypruspost.gov.cy

TIFF

EL, EN

Image

2001-CHRISTMAS-13

35.160417, 33.346556

Alex Matsoukis, Athens