Machairas Monastery is one of the most famous Monasteries in Cyprus. Situated on the slopes Kionia at an altitude of 870 metres above sea level, it lies in the valley of the Machairas Mountains. Therein lies the miraculous icon of Panagia (Virgin Mary) of Machairas which is attributed to Agios Loukas the Evangelist (the Apostle Luke). According to legend, the icon was brought to Cyprus secretly by an unknown… hermit during the iconoclasm years between the 8th and 9th century A.D. Living in a cave, the Holy Icon remained with him until his death around 1145, when the hermits Ignatios and Neophytos, blessed with divine grace discovered the cave which was obscured by bushes. To reach the cave where the icon was a knife was given to them by a divine hand with which they used to cut the bushes. Hence to the icon of Panagia the name “Machairiotissa” (machairi in Greek means knife) was added. The Monastery was subsequently built on the same spot bearing the same name.