Monastery of Stavros, Medieval monastery in Omodos, Cyprus.

The Monastery of Stavros is a monastery in Omodos, in the Limassol district of Cyprus, built around a central church. The two-story complex is ringed by arched galleries that open onto a courtyard. The monastery belongs to the Metropolis of Paphos and serves as the parish church of Omodos.

The monastery was founded in 301 by Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, over a cave where villagers found a cross; the church itself had been built in 210. Monks from Cyprus and abroad lived here before Helena's visit in 327. In 1426 Muslims plundered it, and in 1570 the Ottoman conquest brought the martyrdom or captivity of most monks and laypeople sheltering there. Around 1700 Sultan Mustafa granted privileges, and in 1917 the property was divided among the villagers of Omodos.

The monastery houses a collection of Byzantine icons and objects from the Cypriot independence struggle of the 1950s, which visitors can see while walking through the rooms. These pieces show how closely religious life and local history are woven together in Omodos.

The monastery is open to visitors every day, but the hours change depending on the season. It is worth checking the current schedule before you go, as summer and winter times can differ quite a bit.

The monastery keeps two religious relics that believers have venerated for centuries, and they continue to draw pilgrims from across Cyprus today. One of these is said to be a piece of the rope used to bind Jesus to the cross, making this one of the very few places in the world to hold such an object.