Cyprus convent of Saint Thecla. We are preparing for a trip to the monastery of St. Thecla in Cyprus. Time to visit

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Cyprus monastery of St. Thekla “At a young age, I fell ill with a serious skin disease - a rash on my legs, from which I experienced severe pain when walking. I went to doctors, they prescribed me ointments, nothing helped. Once, when I was returning from Stavrovuni with my brother Vasily - and we always made the journey from Lisi to Stavrovuni on foot - we made a stop at the holy monastery of St. Thekla to venerate her holy relics. There we collected clay from the spring of St. Thekla, and I anointed my feet with it. When we arrived in Laspi, all the rash on my legs disappeared without a trace.”

The island of Cyprus has been called the “island of saints” since ancient times. To this day, Orthodox pilgrims flock from all over the world to venerate the tomb of Lazarus the Fourth Day in Larnaca and the Cross of the Lord in the Stavrovouni monastery, to pray before the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, according to legend written by the Apostle Luke himself, in the Kykkos monastery, to kiss the relics of the martyrs Cyprian and Justina in the temple Saint Cyprian in Meniko. But few pilgrims know that in Cyprus, to this day, the relics of the First Martyr Thekla, a disciple of the Apostle Paul, who suffered in the 1st century and was revered more than all the holy women in the ancient Church, are miraculously preserved.

Saint Thekla came “from a noble and glorious family” and lived in the Asia Minor city of Iconium. At the age of eighteen, when she was already betrothed to the young man Thamir, the Apostle Paul came to Iconium with an evangelical sermon and taught about Christ. The seed of the word of God fell on good soil. Through the action of the Holy Spirit, it was deeply rooted in the heart of Thekla, who, without hesitation, left everything earthly and turned her gaze to the Heavenly Bridegroom Christ. Thamir, having lost his bride, accused Paul of sorcery and sorcery before the local ruler. The apostle was imprisoned. Having learned about this, Thekla bribed the guard and made her way to the prisoner, who, seeing her progress in faith, called her his “first spiritual daughter.” Soon, the relatives seized Thekla and sentenced her to death: they tried to burn the girl at the stake, but the fire surrounded her with flames without touching her body, and then went out due to a heavy downpour. Having left the fire, Thekla rushed away from Iconium. She followed the Apostle Paul to Antioch, where she was again captured and thrown to be devoured by wild animals, and then by snakes and vipers, but neither of them harmed her. The ruler, in fear, released the saint, and she withdrew to a mountain near the city of Seleucia, where she settled in a cave. There she prayed, healed the sick, performed miracles and taught faith in Christ. The doctors and wizards of Seleucia, dissatisfied with the fact that now the sick did not go to them, but to Thekla, who treated them free of charge, out of envy, persuaded some dissolute youths to dishonor the saint. When they approached Thekla, she realized their evil intention and ran away, praying to God for help. And the stone rock opened up before her and hid her in its womb, becoming the saint’s resting place. This happened in Syria.

By God's providence, part of the relics was found by Christians and transported to one of the islands closest to Syria - Cyprus. Today these relics are kept in the convent of St. Thekla, located in a picturesque mountain valley among olive and fig trees on the outskirts of the village of Mosfiloti, near the city of Larnaca.

According to legend, the monastery of the First Martyr Thekla was founded by Saint Helena in the 4th century, when she, returning from Jerusalem to Constantinople, visited the island of Cyprus. During her prayer, at the site of the current monastery, a healing spring began to flow from under the ground, watering the queen and her retinue. Above it, the legend says, Saint Helena erected a temple, which she dedicated to the First Martyr Thekla.

The first written evidence of the monastery dates back to 1780. It is contained in the Description of the Possessions of the Archdiocese of Cyprus, which lists all the sacred objects belonging to the monastery. Since the end of the 18th century, references to the monastery in historical sources - in the “History of Cyprus” by Archimandrite Cyprian and others - have become regular. It follows from them that at the end of the 18th century the monastery was for men, had a small number of inhabitants, and had land. The construction of a single-nave basilica and cell monastery buildings dates back to this time.

In 1806, the Spanish traveler Ali Bey (1767-1818) saw in the monastery one monk and several workers who cultivated the monastery's land plots. Two other travelers, the Englishmen Henry Light and William Turner, visited the monastery a few years later, in 1814 and 1815. In their notes they write about the incredible poverty that struck the entire rural population of the island during the years of Turkish rule (1571-1878). Both of them report that they met only one priest, “absolutely ignorant of everything except the liturgy, which, however, he did not know how to read, but learned by heart.” In the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries, the monastery buildings were transferred to a school where about fifty children from the surrounding villages studied.

Monastic life resumed at the monastery in 1956, when, with the permission of Archbishop Macarius III (1913-1977), Cypriot Old Calendarists came here from their destroyed monastery after the murder of three monks by fanatical Turks on January 1, 1964. However, already in 1979 they left the monastery. On November 9, 1991, two sisters of the nuns, Constantia and Eulogia, settled in Mosfiloti, one from the monastery of St. George Alamanu, the other from the convent in Sinai. Thus began the revival of the monastery. Today there are seven nuns in the monastery, the abbess is Constantia.

For the patronal feast of the monastery on September 24 (October 7), Cypriots from all over the island gather, because in Cyprus the monastery of St. Thekla is known to everyone. For a long time, the inhabitants of the island resorted here to the holy spring with miraculous clay, which in the old days was considered the only remedy that helped cure all dermatological diseases. The source of wonderful clay is located under the altar of the Church of St. Thekla, near the source of holy water, which, according to legend, began to flow during the prayer of Queen Helena. In the monastery, miracles of healing with clay occur continuously. The sisters of the monastery record them in a special book. Here are two of them: Panais Hadjionas says: “At a young age, I fell ill with a serious skin disease - a rash on my legs, from which I experienced severe pain when walking. I went to doctors, they prescribed me ointments, nothing helped. Once, when I was returning from Stavrovuni with my brother Vasily - and we always made the journey from Lisi to Stavrovuni on foot - we made a stop at the holy monastery of St. Thekla to venerate her holy relics. There we collected clay from the spring of St. Thekla, and I anointed my feet with it. When we arrived in Laspi, all the rash on my legs disappeared without a trace.”

Another miracle: “With the help of God’s grace and the prayers of my spiritual father, I will tell you about one miracle that, thanks to the intercession of Saint Thekla, He performed for me, a sinner. I suffered for about two years. I had severe skin rashes on both arms. I went to doctor P.S., but he said: “This disease is incurable, I’ll give you cauterization, try to cauterize them.” When I burned them, new rashes appeared on the skin. On September 24, the day when the Church celebrates the memory of Saint Thekla, I went and celebrated the liturgy in her monastery in Mosfiloti. It was a resurrection. After the service, we made a religious procession with the icon of the saint. By the grace of God, I received communion that day. Before leaving, I smeared clay on my hands and since then I have been completely healed and I thank the Lord and Saint Thekla for this, because I believe that the healing occurred through her intercession.”

The material was prepared from the book: The Sacred Monastery of St. Thekla. Edition of the sacred monastery of St. Thekla (Mosfiloti-Larnaca), 1998 (in modern Greek).

I have been living in Cyprus for quite some time, but the deep religiosity of Cypriots still remains a mystery to me.

How, being for several centuries under the yoke of the Ottoman Empire, and then under the influence of Catholic England, did the Greek Cypriots carefully preserve Christian traditions, passing them on from generation to generation? Moreover, religious customs are so closely woven into their daily lives that there is no doubt about their sincerity.

It is considered common practice to bake a cake if you lose something. Fanuropita and ask for help Saint Fanourius, or if you feel unwell after visiting a doctor, go to the monastery of St. Thekla the Healer, pray and take healing mud.

I knew about the monastery of St. Thekla for quite a long time and visited there several times, but for the first time I was invited to visit the monastery of St. Minas by my Cypriot friend Maria. In their family, it is customary on weekends for the whole family to travel by car through small villages and visit one or another monastery or church.

Since there are a large number of them in Cyprus, the route may be different each time. Knowing my interest in Cypriot traditions, Maria organized our Sunday voyage with great enthusiasm.

Along the old road

We drove out of the way, but did not drive along the highway, but turned off the roundabout onto the old road. On road maps this is the E104 road.

The effect was as if you had been traveling by subway all the time and suddenly decided to use ground transportation. The quality of the road is no worse than the autobahn, as, indeed, all the secondary roads in Cyprus, but the impressions and pleasure from driving along it are much greater: small, neat villages float past the windows, and you can easily stop in any place you like and make a couple of memorable frames and buy homemade sweets from local residents.

We made our first stop in the village of Aya Anna. It immediately struck me that all the facades of the houses, the fences and the small church were completely covered with the same limestone stone.

Maria explained: the stone is mined near the village, and this cladding is typical for all buildings in the village. This creates architectural unity and the opportunity to preserve the image of the village in its original form.

It should be noted that Cypriots really try to preserve what is of cultural value and reflects their historical traditions.

In many mountain villages such as Fikardu, the architectural supervision service strictly controls the number of floors of buildings, the size of window and door openings and the use of certain building materials.

But the main attraction of this village, according to Maria, is the tavern of the same name. In the summer it is very popular. Not only residents of surrounding villages come here, but also guests from Larnaca and Nicosia. Sometimes in the summer the tavern cannot accommodate everyone, so it is better to book a table in advance. However, in winter the flow of visitors is not great, and the tavern is closed.

Visiting Saint Thekla

The story of Saint Thekla is known quite widely. Being the daughter of wealthy parents, one day she heard the sermon of the Apostle Paul. The words of the great preacher deeply touched the girl’s soul. Thekla decided to renounce her fiancé and all worldly goods in order to devote herself to serving God. Until her old age, she unselfishly treated people and helped them find faith.

And now, when coming to the monastery, parishioners first of all ask Saint Thekla for health for themselves and their loved ones.

Opening the front door, we find ourselves in a small courtyard full of greenery. Opposite you can see the entrance to the church, and to the left of it are posted photographs of those who were cured after visiting the monastery.

The monastery was first built in the 15th century, after a healing spring was discovered at this site. Later, the monastery was destroyed several times and rebuilt again.

The current building is completely new: in 1956, after a long period of oblivion, the nuns returned to the holy spring and rebuilt the monastery on their own.

Today, Cypriots and pilgrims from all over the world come to the holy spring for holy water and healing clay. Local old-timers say that clay helps cure many skin diseases. Having bought a bag of my favorite collection of rose petals in a shop at the monastery and said goodbye to the nuns, we moved on.

Please note that the monastery is open to the public from 06:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 19:00.

On the way to the monastery of St. Minas

To get to the monastery of St. Minas, we had to pass through three more villages: Kornos, Lefkara and Vavlou. You can get to Kornos by turning right from Mosfilhioti, but we went back a little and went to Kornos through the village of Pyrga, where there is a chapel built in 1421 by order of King Jean de Lusignan.

By contacting the caretaker, you can see the chapel from the inside for a small fee. Time has not been kind to the ancient frescoes on the walls of the chapel.

After passing through Kornos, we stopped briefly for coffee and snacks in Lefkara. For wine lovers, I think it will be interesting to visit the ΔΑΦΕΡΜΟΥ winery, located on the road from Lefkara to Vavla, and try local wines.

Before reaching the village of Vavla, following the sign, we turned left, reaching the end point of our journey. It is known about Saint Minas that he was from Egypt and served in the legion during the Roman Empire. Having converted to Christianity, he never hid his religion. During the period of persecution of Christians, the brave warrior, even under terrible torture, did not renounce his faith and died in agony.

Once upon a time the monastery of St. Minas was for men. An oil mill and craft workshops operated on its territory. It is now a convent, but strict monastic rules are still followed. Visitors to the monastery must also follow the rules: women who come in trousers must tie them over their skirts.

We visited the monastery at the end, and the whole air there was filled with the divine smell of freshly picked olives, boxes of which stood all over the small courtyard. In addition to olives, the nuns collect citrus fruits, make all kinds of preparations from them, and collect medicinal herbs.

On Sundays, parishioners can sit on the monastery terrace: everyone is treated to coffee and home-made sweets. Agree, there is something warm and homely in this, encouraging you to come to the house of God not only in grief, but also in joy.

In the church of the monastery there is an icon of St. Minas by Philaret, the author of many icons in Cyprus. Don't forget to take a cotton swab with lighted olive oil at the entrance to the church, behind the door.

This monastery also once had a healing spring. And although, according to the nuns, he has not provided water for a long time, Cypriots still come to ask Saint Minas for health and everyday well-being. The monastery is open to parishioners from 07:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 17:00.

Home!

The last stop on our route was a place called Khirokitia (Greek: Χοιροκοιτία). The remains of an ancient settlement dating back to the 7th-4th centuries BC were found here. Now, next to the archaeological excavations, a reconstruction of the settlement has been created, so that you can clearly see the life of the first inhabitants of Cyprus. Currently this place is under UNESCO protection.

Tired but happy, we set off on our way back. Khirokitia is located next to the highway, so we got back to Larnaca in just 20 minutes. In fact, this route can be organized with stops in not every village, planning the trip for the first half of the day.

The unusually beautiful, white church with a blue dome and bell tower and the cave chapel of St. Thekla of Iconium are located on the shore of the bay. Around the church there is an observation deck and a place to relax, where on a hot Cypriot day you can admire the most beautiful view of the sea. The church is open to everyone who wants to visit it.

Inside the church is quite small; on the lectern there is an icon of St. Thekla; here you can light a candle and pray. A small altar with unique wood carvings depicting saints especially revered in Cyprus attracts attention. On Spiritual Day (Kataklysmos), or on the day of the Holy Trinity, a divine service and a religious procession are held here with the blessing of water.

Going down the stairs to the sea from the main church, you can see a small catacomb church carved into the rock in the form of a cross. She appeared here around 45 AD. Above the entrance there is an Orthodox cross with the inscription: “Agia Thekla.”

In this small catacomb church there are icons of St. Thekla, and candles and lamps are always burning. Pilgrims bring flowers and decorations as a sign of gratitude to Saint Thekla.

The Cyprus branch of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society has repeatedly organized trips to the church of St. Thecla, during which the chairman of the Cyprus branch of the IOPS, Professor Leonid Bulanov, spoke not only about the church, but also about Equal-to-the-Apostles St. Thecla.

Life of Saint Thekla

Only one source about the life of Saint Thekla has reached our time - the apocrypha “The Acts of Paul and Thekla” created in the second century, which the church classifies as New Testament apocrypha.

Thekla was born into a noble family in the territory of modern Turkey, in the city of Iconium. Her childhood was spent in prosperity and the love of loved ones - rich parents doted on their daughter. When Thekla grew up, her parents, according to the traditions existing at that time, betrothed her to the young man Thamirid.

It seemed that nothing could interfere with the future marriage. But the city of Iconium was visited by the Apostle Paul, who brought to people the teaching about Jesus Christ and the true God. Thekla lived next to the church where Paul preached, and she listened to the apostle’s speeches every day. After some time, Thekla was so imbued with the words of the Apostle Paul that she decided not to marry her fiancé Thamirid, but to devote her life to serving God.

Thamirid could not accept such a decision of his bride and turned to the ruler of the city with a complaint that the preacher who came to the city forbade girls to bind themselves to family ties. The Apostle Paul tried to convey to the ruler of the city a new teaching about God, but Castilius did not listen to Paul and ordered him to be thrown into prison. Thamirid hoped that, without seeing Paul or listening to his sermons, Thekla would come to her senses and agree to marry him. However, Thekla secretly bribed the guards and visited the Apostle Paul in prison. He told the girl about the true God, and with every word of the apostle, Thekla’s faith in Jesus Christ grew stronger.

The girl's parents, noticing her disappearance, together with Thamirid went to look for her in the city. One of the slaves told them that he saw Thekla leaving the house at night and running towards the dungeon. Having found her together with Paul, they reported this to the ruler of the city, and he ordered them to be brought to trial.

The ruler of the city listened attentively to Paul, who spoke about the truth of God and after that asked Thekla why she refused, according to the Iconian law, to marry Thamyrid. Thekla did not say a word in response, but only looked, without taking her eyes off, at Pavel. Theoklia, Thekla's mother, in a frenzy called on the ruler of the city to burn the lawless woman so that all the women of Iconium would not dare to disobey their relatives in the future.

After much deliberation, the ruler of the city ordered the Apostle Paul to be expelled from the city, and the disobedient Thekla was sentenced to be burned at the stake. He thought that, having seen the preparations for execution, the girl would come to her senses and renounce her faith. The executioners built a fire of branches and brought Thekla to execution. Having crossed herself, Thekla climbed onto the fire, but the fire did not burn her. God had mercy on Thekla and sent heavy rain from heaven. The fire gradually died out, and Thekla was saved.

Seeing the miracle, the people who came to watch the execution fled in horror, fearing the wrath of God, and Thekla, protected by the Lord, left the city of Iconium and went in search of the Apostle Paul. One of Paul’s companions met Thekla and took her to the apostle, who had been fasting for many days and praying for the girl. Saint Thekla, together with the Apostle, brought the Word of God to the city of Antioch.

In those days, persecution of Christians was not uncommon, and the ruler of the city, without thinking twice, condemned her to death. The first time they threw Thekla to the wild lioness, but she lay down at the feet of the saint and did not touch her. On the second day, the ruler threw her to the hungry lions and bears, but Thekla said a prayer, and the animals did not touch her.

For the third time, the ruler tried to execute Thekla - he tied her to two bulls so that they would tear the saint apart. But this time too, the Lord protected Thekla - the strong ropes broke, and the bulls ran away. The ruler was convinced of the power of God, in whom Thekla believed, and released her. She found Paul again, he blessed her to preach the word of God. After some time, Thekla returned to her native Iconium, where she converted her mother to Christianity.

Church tradition says that she lived for many years in Syrian Seleucia, and at the age of 90, when she was persecuted by pagan priests, she was hidden from them by a mountain. The cave in which Thekla died, according to legend, is located in the Syrian village of Maalul (Mount Qalamon), 55 km from Damascus. A monastery was built above it, named after the saint. In the monastery there is a cave with a small chapel of the Byzantine period, in which, as legend says, Saint Thekla herself, equated by the church with the apostles, is buried.

The relics of Saint Thekla were located in Cilician Armenia, in the city of Tarsus. In 1312/13, the engagement of the Armenian king Oshin to the daughter of the Aragonese king, Princess Isabella of Aragon, took place. The latter's father, King Alfonso IV, planned to receive the relics of Saint Thecla in exchange for his daughter's engagement to Oshin. However, due to protests from the Cilician opposition, the engagement was upset, and the relics remained in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.

After the capture of Cilician Armenia by the Egyptian Mamluks, part of the relics of St. Thekla were taken by Christians to Cyprus, where they are still kept in the convent of St. Thekla, located on the outskirts of the village of Mosfiloti, not far from the city of Larnaca.

You will also find an article about this monastery in the “Pilgrimage and Tourism” section on the website.

The material was prepared by the chairman of the Cyprus branch of the IOPS, Leonid Bulanov. Photo by the author

Monastery of the Healer Thekla The First Martyr Thekla, whose memory is celebrated on September 24 according to the Julian calendar, is an early Christian saint, revered among the Equal-to-the-Apostles. Her name is remembered when women are tonsured into monasticism. A place of pilgrimage for people begging for healing in Cyprus is the early Christian cave church of St. Thekla and the convent of the Equal-to-the-Apostles saint, where a healing spring flows, and from where the afflicted take away clay that heals skin diseases. But few pilgrims know that the relics of the first martyr Thekla, a disciple of the Apostle Paul, who suffered in the 1st century and was revered more than all the holy women in the ancient Church, are preserved in Cyprus to this day. The monastery of the holy healer Thekla is located near the village of Mosfiloti, not far from Mount Stavrovouni . On the Limassol-Nicosia highway you will see a sign for the monastery. A source of holy water at the entrance to the monastery of St. Thekla. For the sake of water from this life-giving source, both local residents from all over Cyprus and pilgrims from all over the world come to the monastery. At the entrance to the monastery church you will see photographs of children who were healed thanks to the miraculous clay from the monastery of St. Thekla. History of the Monastery of Saint Thekla in Cyprus. The location for the holy place was indicated by Saint Helena, who, honoring faith and miracles, discovered a healing spring at this place. But the monastery appeared here presumably in 1471, and the first documentary evidence about it dates back to the 18th century: in the Description of the Possessions of the Archdiocese of Cyprus, all sacred objects belonging to the monastery were listed. Since the end of the 18th century, references to the monastery in historical sources become regular. It follows from them that at the end of the eighteenth century the monastery was for men, had a small number of inhabitants, and had land. In the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries, the monastery buildings were transferred to a school where about fifty children from the surrounding villages studied. Monastic life resumed in the monastery in 1956, when, with the permission of Archbishop Makarios III, Cypriot Old Calendarists came here from their destroyed monastery. And on November 9, 1991, two sisters of the nun, Constantia and Eulogia, settled in the monastery. Thus began the revival of the monastery. So, this monastery became a refuge for women nuns and inherited the name of St. Thekla. And this is no coincidence: Thekla, being the daughter of noble parents and an enviable bride, actually became one of the first nuns, taking a vow of celibacy and devoting her life to God. The iconostasis that exists today in the church of the St. Thekla Monastery was created in the eighteenth century. The famous Filaret himself was the creator of this iconostasis. The icon of the temple - the icon of Saint Thekla - was painted at the same time by the Cypriot icon painter Ioannikis. In the nineteenth century, this icon was dressed in a silver frame. Biography of Saint Thekla. The only source of information about Thecla's life is the apocryphal "Acts of Paul and Thecla", written in the second century. The Holy First Martyr Equal to the Apostles Thekla was born in Iconium in the 30s of the 1st century. She was the daughter of noble and wealthy parents and was distinguished by her extraordinary beauty. At eighteen she was betrothed to a noble young man. One day, having heard the sermon of the Holy Apostle Paul about the Savior, Saint Thekla loved the Lord Jesus Christ with all her heart and firmly decided not to marry and to devote her life to the preaching of the Gospel. Saint Thekla's mother opposed her daughter's intentions and forced her to marry the groom betrothed to her. And Thekla’s fiancé complained to the city ruler about the Apostle Paul, accusing him of turning his bride away from him. The governor imprisoned the holy apostle, but Saint Thekla secretly ran away from home at night, bribed the prison guards, giving them all her gold jewelry, and entered the prisoner. For three days she sat at the feet of the apostle, listening to his fatherly instructions. Thekla's disappearance was discovered, and servants were sent everywhere to search for her. Finally she was found in prison and forcibly brought home, and the court sentenced the Apostle Paul to exile from the city. Neither her mother’s tears, nor her anger, nor the ruler’s threats could force Thekla to change her mind and separate her from her love for the Heavenly Bridegroom - the Lord Jesus Christ. The girl’s mother, in a frenzy, demanded that the judge sentence her rebellious daughter to death, and Saint Thekla was sentenced to be burned. When the girl fearlessly climbed onto the fire, the Savior appeared to her, blessing her for the upcoming feat. The flames of the fire surrounded the martyr, but did not touch her, and a sudden downpour quickly extinguished the fire. The torturers fled in fear. Saint Thekla left the city and, having found the Apostle Paul, went with him preaching the Gospel to Antioch. In one city, Saint Thekla rejected the proposal of a certain dignitary, captivated by her beauty. For this she was sentenced to death. Twice hungry animals were released on her, but they did not touch the holy virgin, but obediently lay down at her feet and licked them. The ruler himself was afraid, finally realizing that the holy martyr was protected by the Almighty God, whom she served. He ordered the release of Thekla, the servant of God, to freedom. Saint Thekla settled in the desert surroundings of Seleucia of Isauria and lived there for many years, constantly preaching the Word of God and healing the sick with prayer. When Saint Thekla was already a ninety-year-old old woman, the pagan magicians took up arms against her because she treated the sick without compensation. Out of envy of Saint Thekla, they sent mercenaries to her to desecrate the saint. When the pursuers were already very close, Saint Thekla cried out for help to Christ the Savior, and the mountain parted and hid the holy virgin, the bride of Christ. Thus Saint Thekla gave up her soul to the Lord. By God's providence, part of the relics of Saint Thekla was found by Christians and transported to Cyprus. Today these relics are kept in the convent of St. Thekla, located in a picturesque mountain valley among olive and fig trees on the outskirts of the village of Mosfiloti, near the city of Larnaca. The Monastery of Saint Thekla in Cyprus is known to everyone. For a long time, the inhabitants of the island came here to the holy spring with miraculous clay, which in the old days was considered the only remedy that helped cure all skin diseases. The source of wonderful clay is located under the altar of the Church of St. Thekla, near the source of holy water, which, according to legend, began to flow during the prayer of Queen Helena. The monastery is open to visitors every day from 6.00 to 12.00 and 15.00 to 19.00.

Complete collection and description: prayer to Saint Thekla in Cyprus for the spiritual life of a believer.

In 1806, the Spanish traveler Ali Bey (1767-1818) saw in the monastery one monk and several workers who cultivated the monastery's land plots. Two other travelers, the Englishmen Henry Light and William Turner, visited the monastery a few years later, in 1814 and 1815. In their notes they write about the incredible poverty that struck the entire rural population of the island during the years of Turkish rule (1571-1878). Both of them report that they met only one priest, “absolutely ignorant of everything except the liturgy, which, however, he did not know how to read, but learned by heart.” In the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries, the monastery buildings were transferred to a school where about fifty children from the surrounding villages studied.

The material was prepared from the book: The Sacred Monastery of St. Thekla. Edition of the sacred monastery of St. Thekla (Mosfiloti-Larnaca), 1998 (in modern Greek).

Monastery of Saint Thekla in Cyprus

The First Martyr Thekla was revered more than other holy women in ancient times. Her story is tragic, interesting and instructive for those who intend to follow Their intended path of life. And the point is not only that a girl from a rich family, beautiful and smart, decided to take a vow of celibacy and forever become the Bride of God, but that after going through mental and physical tests, she did not change her mind about her true destiny and remained faithful to herself to yourself.

The Story of the Saint

Who is this Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint, in whose honor it was built? Monastery of St. Thekla, in Cyprus known to everyone and being the most “popular” shrine for pilgrims? It is known about it only from one source: “The Acts of Paul and Thecla,” an early Christian work of literature written in the 2nd century AD.

Thekla was born at the beginning of the 1st century in Iconium, the capital of the ancient state of Asia Minor, Lacaonia. Her parents were of noble origin and were reputed to be rich. Already from childhood, Thekla was a very pretty girl, and in her youth she was an amazing beauty. At the age of 18, her parents betrothed her to the noble young man Thamirid.

One day Thekla attended a city sermon by St. Paul about the Savior. The heart of the young beauty was filled with reverent love for Jesus Christ, and she decided to take a vow of celibacy, refusing to marry Thamirid. The wounded and offended young man could not come to terms with the “strange” choice of his betrothed. On the advice of his friends, Thamirid went to the ruler of the city and accused the Apostle Paul of “forbidding virgins to marry.”

Saint Paul was imprisoned. But Thekla, it turns out, visited the apostle, bribing the jailers with her jewelry. She could no longer do without Paul’s instructions and his stories about the Savior. Her parents became aware of her secret “meetings”.

The disobedient daughter and the Apostle Paul were brought to court. The Apostle was sentenced to be scourged and expelled from the city. Thekla, who answered all the questions of the judges with meek silence, her own mother wished to “burn” at the city fire, as an edification to those virgins and wives who do not want to obey their parents’ word and accept the laws of the city and country.

Servant of God

And sentenced to be burned, she was led to the prepared scaffold. But the girl, without a shadow of fear, ascended the fire: the Savior appeared to her and blessed the unfortunate woman for the upcoming feat. When the flames of the fire ignited, the sky suddenly darkened, and a heavy downpour began, filling a terrible fire. Everyone fled in fear, and Thekla went home from her hometown.

She found Saint Paul and went with him to Antioch, a city in ancient Syria. The ruler of the city, Alexander, was captivated by Thekla’s beauty and showed her signs of attention. However, the beauty angrily rejected his claims and tore the robe from Alexander’s shoulders, and at the same time the wreath from his head, and tore them in front of the astonished ruler. For such insolence, Thekla was sent to be torn to pieces by wild beasts. However, the predators behaved in a strange way: the wild lioness rushed to the girl’s defense, tearing the hungry bear to shreds and attacking the huge lion.

The Iconian maiden remained safe and sound this time too. Alexander then realized that Thekla was not a simple girl, but was under the protection of God himself, and therefore the fire did not take her and the hungry animals would not touch her. They released her.

Prayers heal

And Thekla again began to look for the Apostle Paul, and found him. He taught the girl that she needed to preach the word of God. The pilgrim returned to Iconium, forgave her mother and converted her to Christianity. And she began to preach her faith, and a healing gift was revealed in her. Thekla healed sick people and children with the power of prayer.

She settled in the vicinity of Seleucia, a city in ancient Syria. She lived for almost 90 years. According to church tradition, Thekla was persecuted by pagan sorcerers because she unselfishly treated the sick and suffering. She escaped from them in the mountains, in a cave. There the Servant of God reposed, finding eternal peace.

Her relics were found in a cave on Mount Kalamon, not far from the village of Maaloula (Syria). The relics were kept in the city of Tarsus - in Cilician Armenia. But after Armenia was captured by the Mamluks, part of the saint’s relics were transported to Cyprus, where they are kept to this day in a convent named after Saint Thekla.

Temple and wonderful springs

Presumably, the monastery near the village of Mosfiloti (near Larnaca in Cyprus) was founded in 1471, when a healing spring was discovered. By the way, the Byzantine queen Helen mentioned him. Regular evidence of the monastery dates back to the 18th century; apparently before that time the temple was destroyed and rebuilt again.

It is noteworthy that the monastery was originally for men. Several inhabitants lived and “worked” in it. The monastery consisted of buildings and land. However, in the 19th-20th centuries it was given over to a school for rural children.

Life and service in the monastery resumed in 1956. The iconostasis remained the same, built in the 18th century. The Icon of Saint Thekla is a valuable monastery relic, which was painted by the hand of the icon painter Ioannikis (Cyprus), and dressed in a silver frame later, in the 19th century.

The nuns came here to the sacred spring and restored the monastery. In the person of Archbishop Makarios III, they received both permission and blessing. The monastery began to be reborn.

Today, both Cypriots and pilgrims from all over the world come to this wonderful Temple, very modest, but surrounded by olive trees and beautiful plants. They go to worship Saint Thekla, and stock up on water from the holy spring, as well as for clay, which miraculously heals from various ailments. It is difficult to get clay: it is located under the monastery altar. However, in the old days it was the only remedy for serious skin diseases. And today, in confirmation of the healing properties of clay, many children’s photographs hang at the entrance to the church. These children with terrible diagnoses were helped in healing by monastery clay and the prayer of Equal-to-the-Apostles Thekla.

The memory of the Saint is celebrated by the Orthodox Church annually on September 24. When a woman decides to become a nun, the name of the Saint is also remembered. So, not far from Cross Mountain (Stavrovouni) on the Limassol-Nicosia highway there is a sign to the monastery of St. Thekla. In Cyprus, where there are a great many temples (more than 500), he is the most revered. If you get the opportunity, see for yourself!

Especially for Liliya-Travel.RU – Anna Lazareva

Prayer to the First Martyr Thekla, Equal to the Apostles.

Oh, long-suffering and wise First Martyr Theklo! With your soul you stand in heaven at the Throne of the Lord, and on earth, by the grace given to you, you perform various healings; look mercifully at the people who are coming and praying before your most pure image, asking for your help; extend your holy prayers to the Lord for us and ask us for forgiveness of our sins, healing for the sick, quick help for the grieving and needy; pray to the Lord to give us all a Christian death and a good answer at His terrible judgment, so that together with you we may be worthy to glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Troparion to the First Martyr Thekla

Having learned the words of Pavlov, God-blessed Theklo, and having been strengthened by faith from Peter, the divinely called first martyr appeared and the first sufferer among women: you ascended into the flames, as if into a prosperous place, the animals and youths were afraid of you, armed with the cross. Thus pray, O all-validated Christ God, that our souls may be saved.

You shone with the kindness of virginity, and you were adorned with the crown of martyrdom, entrusting yourself to the apostleship as a glorious virgin; and you turned the flame into dew, and you tamed the youth’s rage with your prayer, as if you were the first to suffer.

Having wounded your virtuous heart, with the love of Christ, you overthrew the temporary betrothed as if you were careless and dared to risk the fire; You stopped the mouths of the beasts, and having saved yourself from them, you diligently sought Paul, the first-suffering Theklo.

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Monastery of the Holy First Martyr Thekla

The monastery of the holy healer Thekla is located near the village of Mosfiloti, not far from Mount Stavrovouni. On the Limassol-Nicosia highway there is a sign to the monastery.

One day, Saint Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, who found a shrine - the Life-Giving Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified, suffered from thirst while traveling along the roads of Cyprus. The Lord heard her prayers and showed the place of the life-giving spring, where Saint Helena later ordered the founding of a church in honor of the holy woman - Saint Thekla. Also, we note that in Cyprus there are only 2 springs with holy water, in the monastery of St. Thekla and the churches of Kyprianou and Ustinya. Therefore, if you go on an individual excursion to the St. Thekla Monastery, be sure to take a container for holy water.

Saint Thekla was one of the first nuns in the history of Christianity. Born in Iconium in the 30s of the 1st century, she was a beautiful girl, the daughter of very noble and wealthy parents, an enviable bride, whose hand many sought, Thekla was only 17 years old when she was imbued with the sermons of the Apostle Paul, after which she wanted to devote herself to God. Saint Thekla's mother opposed her daughter's wishes and forced her to marry her betrothed groom. Thekla's groom complained to the city ruler about the Apostle Paul, accusing him of turning his bride away from him.

The governor imprisoned the Apostle Paul, but Thekla secretly ran away from the house under the cover of darkness, bribed the prison guards, giving them all her jewelry, and entered the prisoner. She spent three days at the feet of the holy apostle, listening to his fatherly sermons. Thekla's disappearance was discovered, and servants were sent everywhere to search for her. She was found in prison and returned home by force, and the court sentenced the Apostle Paul to exile from the city.

Neither her mother’s anger, nor her tears, nor the ruler’s threats forced Thekla to change her decision and remove her from her love for the Heavenly Bridegroom - the Lord Jesus Christ. Out of despair, the girl’s mother demanded that the judge sentence her disobedient daughter to death; as a result, Saint Thekla was sentenced to be burned.

When the girl boldly climbed onto the fire, the Savior appeared before her, blessing her for the upcoming feat. The flames of the fire surrounded Thekla, but did not burn her, and a sudden downpour immediately extinguished the fire. Frightened, the tormentors fled.

Then she followed the Apostle Paul to Antioch, where she was again captured and thrown to be torn apart by wild animals and snakes, but they did not cause her any harm. After which, no one doubted the saint’s abilities, out of fear, the ruler released Thekla and she went to live in a cave on a mountain near the city of Seleucia, in Syria. There Thekla prayed, performed miracles, healed the sick and taught the Christian faith. And when the next pursuers approached Saint Thekla, a stone mountain parted before the saint and hid her in its depths.

By God's providence, part of Thekla's relics was found by Christians and brought to Cyprus. Currently, the relics are kept in the convent of St. Thekla, which is located in a beautiful mountain valley, on the outskirts of the village of Mosfiloti, relatively close to Larnaca.

The monastery was founded in 1471 and was named St. Thekla. Monastic life was revived in the monastery in 1956, when, with the permission of Archbishop Makarios III, Cypriot Old Calendarists came here from their destroyed monastery. And in 1991, the monastery became a refuge for two nuns, Constantia and Eulogia.

In the 18th century, a church was built in the monastery of St. Thekla, an iconostasis was made and the title icon of the temple was painted - the icon of St. Thekla, dressed in a beautiful silver frame in the 19th century.

Having visited the monastery of St. Thekla on the day of her memory, September 24, you, as in those historical times, will feel like a participant in the holiday and, also, feel the invisible presence of the spirit of two great holy women: Helena and Thekla.

The earth taken from the miraculous spring on the territory of the shrine is known for healing believers from various skin diseases.

No matter what storms rage in the world, the monastery of St. Thekla is a haven of godlike humility that will stand unshakably, purifying our souls and showing the path to spiritual enlightenment.