The Monastery of the Holy Cross in Omodos, Cyprus

In the village of Omodos 42 kilometres northwest of Limassol in Cyprus is the Monastery of the Holy Cross (Timiou Stavrou), surrounded by cobbled streets.

It is central to the village and a tourist attraction. Originally Byzantine, the monastery has been renovated from the early to mid 19^th century. The monastery has not been inhabited by monks since 1917.

The monastery has elaborate and intricate woodwork including carved pews, lattice railings and wooden doors.

The monastery is the focus of a large festival every year on 14 September to mark The Festival of the Holy Cross.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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