In the village of Pano Panayia in the Paphos district, Chrysoroyiatissa Monastery stands as a testament to the island’s ecclesiastical history. Founded in the 12th century by the monk Ignatius, it is dedicated to Our Lady of the Golden Pomegranate — which is what its name translates to.
An icon pulled from the sea
The monastery’s origins are steeped in legend. Tradition holds that Ignatius found an icon of the Virgin Mary off the coast of Paphos, believed to have been cast into the sea in Asia Minor to save it from the iconoclasts. That discovery led to the founding of Chrysoroyiatissa in 1152.
Inside the church
The main church is an elegant structure adorned with frescoes and icons. The iconostasis — the carved wooden screen separating the nave from the sanctuary — is particularly striking, with intricate carving and gilded detail. A museum on the site holds religious artefacts, manuscripts and vestments that trace the monastery’s long history.
The winery
Beyond its religious life, Chrysoroyiatissa is known for wine. The monastery winery, established in the 1980s, has a reputation for some of the finest wines on the island; the monks work the vineyards by traditional methods, and a visit means tasting them with the countryside laid out below.
More sightseeing around Paphos
Panagia tou Sinti Monastery
A 16th-century monastery in the Xeros valley near Pentalia — long abandoned, and among the finest Byzantine buildings left standing in the district.
Agios Neophytos Monastery
Founded in 1170 by the monk Neophytos, who carved his hermitage out of the rock.
Trooditissa Monastery
A centuries-old pilgrimage monastery high in the pines above Platres.
Kykkos Monastery
Gold mosaics and painted corridors at 1,318 metres — the wealthiest monastery on the island, at the end of a spectacular drive.