There are many unique relics in the world. One of those is kept in the Kik Monastery: the icon of the Kik Mother of God (Panagia Eleusa). She has miraculous power. In front of the icon, those who do not have a family relationship pray. Her image is asked for healing from infertility, bleeding, and healing from a headache. In addition, in dry years, in front of this icon, they pray and ask for rain. Faces on the icon, according to ancient custom, are closed from the eyes of people with a dense blanket, which is never removed, except when the monks change it due to decrepitude to a new one. And then, at this moment they try not to look at the icon, looking up. Why are they doing this? In Cyprus, there is a legend according to which one who dares to look at the faces can go blind.
The origin of the icon
According to legend, the icon of the Kik Mother of God is a creation of St. Luke. As a model for creating the image, he used the Mother of God herself. At that time she was still alive. In addition, two more icons were created. According to the same legend, the signs on which the icons were painted were given by angels. The Kik icon of the Mother of God is made using mastic and wax, it depicts the Mother of God herself with a son in her arms.
Historic Way Icons
During the move to Egypt, Luke took the icon with him. After his death, the icon remained with the Christians who managed to save it during the period of iconoclasm. During this period, the emperor forbade the veneration of icons and in every possible way destroyed them. In addition to them, frescoes, painted altars, statues of saints and mosaics were destroyed. In order for this icon not to be destroyed, believers decided to transfer it to Greece. On the way, they were captured, but, fortunately, they were saved by the Byzantine ship, passing by. The captain of the ship delivered the believers along with the icon to Constantinople, where the latter was given to the Emperor as a gift.
At the beginning of the 12th century, the icon was transferred to the Cypriot hermit Isaiah. In addition, the Byzantine emperor Alexei I Komnin gave him funds for the construction of the Holy Monastery, which was subsequently erected on Mount Kykkos. The icon of the Kik Mother of God was placed in it, where it is stored today.
This event was preceded by an amazing story that originates during a hunt on the island of Manuel Vutomitis. On this day, he got lost in the mountains. In search of a way, he met Elder Isaiah, who hastened to hide in order not to be recognized. Because of this, Manuel was very angry with him and severely beat him, for which he was punished over with paralysis. He realized his mistake and greatly repented of his deed, asking the old man for forgiveness. But neither Isaiah's forgiveness nor his prayers to God could return his health to the ruler.
In one of the visions, the elder saw how he could be healed. For this, it is necessary that the icon of the Kik Mother of God be moved to Cyprus, and Manuel immediately give money to the elder to carry out this mission.
In Constantinople, the imperial daughter was very ill. Manuel for a long time hesitated to tell Alexei Komnin about the visions of the old man. But the daughter’s illness was similar, so Manuel told the emperor about his story, about the disease that he received by committing a sin, and about the salvation that his daughter could receive, but only after the icon of the Mother of God was transferred to the monastery in Cyprus . Alexey Komnin did not really want to part with the icon, so he went to the trick. Having made a copy of it, he invited Manuel to make a choice than to determine the one that would go to Cyprus. Isaiah himself came for the icon. On the night before the choice, he had a vision according to which a bee would sit on a script. Since then, this insect adorns the coat of arms of the monastery.
Where can I see the icon
Now the Kik icon of the Mother of God (Cyprus) is located on the iconostasis of the church, to the left of the main entrance on an oak carved throne. It was originally inlaid with gold, and in 1576 covered with silver. In 1795, the precious coating was replaced with a less expensive one, but visually the view remained almost the same. The first cover is stored in the museum of the monastery.