Trooditissa Monastery

High in the Troodos mountains, Trooditissa has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries — quiet, well kept, and unusually rich in religious artefacts for a monastery this remote.

A hermit in the mountains

Trooditissa traces its origins to the 13th century, in the Byzantine era. Tradition has it that the monastery was established by a hermit who took refuge in the Troodos mountains to escape the Arab invasions. The name comes from the Greek for the Troodos region itself.

Inside the katholikon

The architecture blends Byzantine and Gothic — the usual mark of the island’s layered history. The main church is decorated with frescoes and icons dating to the 18th century. The most striking single object is the wooden iconostasis separating the nave from the sanctuary: a finely carved piece of ecclesiastical art and the work of local craftsmen.

The icon

Trooditissa is also a working spiritual centre. It holds an icon of the Virgin Mary believed to have been brought from Asia Minor — Panagia Trooditissa — venerated by Orthodox Christians who come seeking blessings, particularly for fertility and childbirth. The feast day on 15 August, the Assumption, draws pilgrims from across the island and beyond, with a procession of the icon and a series of services.

The setting is pine forest, high enough that the air is sharp and the views run a long way. Walkers use the monastery as a start or end point for the Troodos trails, which are the best way to see the endemic plants and birds of the range.