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Monastery · Ancient Monument

The Monastery of Stavrovouni

Stavrovouni, Larnaca District

The Monastery of Stavrovouni: a monastery in Stavrovouni, Larnaca District. Protected by Order in Council in 1949. 3 dated records of work on it, 1950 to 1954, with sources.

Protection

Antiquities Law
  1. 28 February 1949

    Proposed for declaration, No. 88, Second Schedule, Larnaca

    “The Monastery of Stavrovouni.”

    Supplement No. 3 to The Cyprus Gazette No. 3424 of 28 February 1949, No. 88, The Antiquities Laws, 1935 and 1945: Notice under section 6 (2) (proposed declaration), by the Director of Antiquities (made 28 February 1949), Second Schedule, Larnaca, pp. 121–123 Online

  2. 24 November 1949

    Order under the Antiquities Law, No. 454, Second Schedule, Larnaca

    “The Monastery of Stavrovouni.”

    Supplement No. 3 to The Cyprus Gazette No. 3470 of 1 December 1949, No. 454, The Antiquities Laws, 1935 and 1945: Order in Council No. 2389 made under section 6 (1) (made 24 November 1949), Second Schedule, Larnaca, pp. 527–529 Online

What was done when

3 records
  1. 1950

    The Department of Antiquities carried out repairs, aided by a Government grant.

    Repair and conservation

    As printed

    “the monasteries of Stavrovouni and Khrysoroyiatissa. In the last two cases the repairs were aided by Government grants”

    Colonial Office, Report on Cyprus for the Year 1950 (London: HMSO, 1951), p. 53

  2. 1951

    The Department of Antiquities carried out repairs on behalf of the responsible authorities, aided by a Government grant.

    Repair and conservation

    As printed

    “to the monasteries of Stavrovouni and Chrysorroyiatissa”

    Colonial Office, Report on Cyprus for the Year 1951 (London: HMSO, 1952), p. 57

  3. 1954

    The cost of repairs was shared with the monastery.

    Repair and conservation

    As printed

    “The cost of repairs to the Kanakaria church and Stavrovouni Monastery was shared”

    Colonial Office, Colonial Reports: Cyprus 1954 (London: HMSO, 1955), p. 127

In the literature

10
  1. 1954

    A photograph by Apostolos Ververis of an icon painter at the monastery, the monks' painting following Byzantine tradition, was published in Angelos Prokopiou's album Cyprus, a Hellenic Island (Athens 1954).

    As printed

    “a photograph by Ververis framing an icon painter at Stavrovouni Monastery that was included in Procopiou's album”

    Christina Roditou, «Cypriot heritage through the lens of Apostolos Ververis: shaping perceptions of identity in the 1950s», recorded conference paper, Empire and Excavation: Critical Perspectives on archaeology in British-period Cyprus, 1878-1960, CAARI Cyprus, published on YouTube 2021-02-03, at 0:09:59 Online

  2. Undated

    A very high mountain in Cyprus where St Helena erected a great cross of cypress; the index places it 10 miles west of Larnaca, site of Stavrorouni Monastery.

    As printed

    “There is a very high mountain here and on that mountain St Helena erected a great cross of cypress”

    Anon. (2017). Jerusalem Pilgrimage, 1099–1185. In The Hakluyt Society. Abingdon, Routledge. p. 125. Online

  3. Undated

    Connected with the discovery of the True Cross by St. Helen on her return journey; icons still painted there.

    As printed

    “That of Stavrovouni is connected with the discovery of the True Cross by St. Helen (A.D. 327)”

    Anon., "The Church of Cyprus and the Byzantine Civilisation", Cyprus Today vol. 5, no. 1 (January–March 1967), pp. 18–19, p. 19.

  4. Undated

    Cypriot monastery whose Holy Cross relic is linked by the author to Ibn al-'Amid's account of an iron horse or cross suspended in a vault in Cyprus.

    As printed

    “Founded by Saint Helen, Constantine's mother, this monastery harbors a precious relic of the Holy Cross.”

    Martino Diez (2024). al-Makīn Ġirġis Ibn al-ʿAmīd: Universal History. The Vulgate Recension, Part 1, Section 1: From Adam to the End of the Achaemenids (Chapters 1–91). In Arabic Christianity Texts and Studies. BRILL. p. 295.

  5. Undated

    Depicted on 3 mils stamp; legend says built by St. Helena on her return from the Holy Land.

    As printed

    “3 mils Stavrovouni Monastery. According to the legend, it was built by St. Helena on her return from”

    Anon., "Cyprus New Stamps", Cyprus Today vol. 4, no. 5-6 (August–December 1966), pp. 6–7, p. 6.

  6. Undated

    Holy Cross monastery near Larnaca, claimed fourth-century foundation; taken over by the Latins and became Benedictine, probably just before 1240.

    As printed

    “Two important Orthodox monasteries, Episkopia, near Kyrenia, and Stavrovouni, near Larnaca, were taken over by the Latins”

    Anon. (2020). Orthodox Monasteries in the Crusader States: A Survey. p. 337. Online

4 more
  1. late Middle Ages

    Marked on the late medieval Ambrosiana map of Cyprus as the Mountain of the Holy Cross, by a prominent triangle protruding towards the sea: by far the most famous pilgrimage destination of the island for local and foreign pilgrims, and a landmark for seamen, who saluted the monastery as they passed (Ludolf of Sudheim, 1330s).

    As printed

    “Stavrovouni Monastery or the Mountain of the Holy Cross, as indicated on the map.”

    Ourania Perdiki, «Maritime connectivity, pilgrimage and the Ambrosiana map of late medieval Cyprus», recorded lecture, 56th Public Lecture Series, Archaeological Research Unit - University of Cyprus, published on YouTube 2021-12-07, at 0:16:14 Online

  2. Undated

    Monastery on a mountain in Larnaca district, traditionally founded by St Helen; cross reportedly found on Olympos.

    As printed

    “The second monastery of the same period (4th century) is that of Stavrovouni.”

    Anon., "Monasticism in Cyprus", Cyprus Today vol. 35, no. 1-2 (January–June 1997), pp. 2–10, p. 5.

  3. Undated

    Said to be the most ancient royal monastery, founded by St. Helena in 327; monks paint icons there.

    As printed

    “The Stavrovouni Monastery, the Salt Lake with the Hala Sultan Tekke”

    S. Patsalides, "In Search of the Unusual Tourist Treasures of Cyprus", Cyprus Today vol. 7, no. 2-3 (April–September 1969), pp. 12–17, p. 16.

  4. Undated

    Said to be the oldest Royal Monastery in the world, founded in 327 by St. Helena.

    As printed

    “Stavrovouni Monastery on top of a mountain is the oldest Royal Monastery in the world, founded in 327 by St. Helena.”

    SAVVA SP. PATSALIDES, "Cyprus, Island of Aphrodite and Homer", Cyprus Today vol. 10, no. 3-4 (May–August 1972), pp. 24–27, p. 26.

Pictures

10

In our archive · 6

Costas and Rita Severis Foundation4 paintings1862–1985
  • painting, 1862--03--17
  • painting, 1920
  • painting, 1972
  • painting, 1985-1988

Sources

  1. 1.Supplement No. 3 to The Cyprus Gazette No. 3470 of 1 December 1949, No. 454, The Antiquities Laws, 1935 and 1945: Order in Council No. 2389 made under section 6 (1) (made 24 November 1949), Second Schedule, Larnaca, pp. 527–529 Online
  2. 2.Supplement No. 3 to The Cyprus Gazette No. 3424 of 28 February 1949, No. 88, The Antiquities Laws, 1935 and 1945: Notice under section 6 (2) (proposed declaration), by the Director of Antiquities (made 28 February 1949), Second Schedule, Larnaca, pp. 121–123 Online
  3. 3.Centre of Visual Arts and Research (CVAR), Costas and Rita Severis Foundation, Nicosia, online catalogue: pht_00701, “Stavrovouni Monastery”, ca. 1918, ; pht_00950, “Stavrovouni Monastery”, ca. 1930, https://cvar.severis.org/en/collections/item/stavrovouni-monastery-2/7550/; pht_01738, “Stavrovouni monastery”, 20th century, https://cvar.severis.org/en/collections/item/stavrovouni-monastery/3143/; and 7 more records Online
  4. 4.Anon. (2020). Orthodox Monasteries in the Crusader States: A Survey. p. 337. Online
  5. 5.Martino Diez (2024). al-Makīn Ġirġis Ibn al-ʿAmīd: Universal History. The Vulgate Recension, Part 1, Section 1: From Adam to the End of the Achaemenids (Chapters 1–91). In Arabic Christianity Texts and Studies. BRILL. p. 295.
  6. 6.Anon. (2017). Jerusalem Pilgrimage, 1099–1185. In The Hakluyt Society. Abingdon, Routledge. p. 125. Online
  7. 7.E. G. Ravenstein, Cyprus: Its Resources and Capabilities, with Hints for Tourists (1878), p. 46 (scan 53)
  8. 8.Ourania Perdiki, «Maritime connectivity, pilgrimage and the Ambrosiana map of late medieval Cyprus», recorded lecture, 56th Public Lecture Series, Archaeological Research Unit - University of Cyprus, published on YouTube 2021-12-07, at 0:16:14 Online
  9. 9.Christina Roditou, «Cypriot heritage through the lens of Apostolos Ververis: shaping perceptions of identity in the 1950s», recorded conference paper, Empire and Excavation: Critical Perspectives on archaeology in British-period Cyprus, 1878-1960, CAARI Cyprus, published on YouTube 2021-02-03, at 0:09:59 Online
  10. 10.Colonial Office, Report on Cyprus for the Year 1950 (London: HMSO, 1951), p. 53
  11. 11.Colonial Office, Report on Cyprus for the Year 1951 (London: HMSO, 1952), p. 57
  12. 12.Colonial Office, Colonial Reports: Cyprus 1954 (London: HMSO, 1955), p. 127
  13. 13.Anon., "Cyprus New Stamps", Cyprus Today vol. 4, no. 5-6 (August–December 1966), pp. 6–7, p. 6.
  14. 14.Anon., "The Church of Cyprus and the Byzantine Civilisation", Cyprus Today vol. 5, no. 1 (January–March 1967), pp. 18–19, p. 19.
  15. 15.SAVVA SP. PATSALIDES, "Cyprus, Island of Aphrodite and Homer", Cyprus Today vol. 10, no. 3-4 (May–August 1972), pp. 24–27, p. 26.
  16. 16.S. Patsalides, "In Search of the Unusual Tourist Treasures of Cyprus", Cyprus Today vol. 7, no. 2-3 (April–September 1969), pp. 12–17, p. 16.
  17. 17.Anon., "Monasticism in Cyprus", Cyprus Today vol. 35, no. 1-2 (January–June 1997), pp. 2–10, p. 5.

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