Monastery of the Honest Life-Creating Cross

The monastery of the Honest (or Holy) Cross is located at an altitude of 900 meters above sea level in the village of Omodos. It is an Orthodox church, famous for its wines and souvenirs. There are several legends about the origin of the temple. According to one of them, a miraculous cross was found in one of the caves of the village. Another connects its origin with the name of Queen Helena, who was a vision of a cross hovering over the mountain. It was she who decided afterwards to build the temple. Helena gave part of the cross to this monastery. There is also a piece of rope with which Jesus was tied to the cross. The first church was built in 210.

In the 19th century, the Byzantine church was completely reconstructed. And now it is a massive basilica with arches and niches, large windows, triangular pediments.

The windows are decorated with colored stained glass. There's a bell tower. Inside are the relics of the holy Great Martyrs Barnabas, John, Tryphon, Procopius, Marina and others. Attention is attracted by a gilded iconostasis with colored inserts. Cells, the houses of the Synod are empty.

The church works like a parish church. But there is the Museum of National Wrestling, the Museum of Folk Art, the Museum of Byzantine Icon, an art gallery and the Museum of Photography.

You can get there by car from Limassol on the A1 highway.