Saint Neophytos the Recluse lived to be 80 years old way back in the 1100's. Upon turning 18 he secretly traveled to a monastery on Mount Koutsoventes stayed there for 7 years, where he learned to read and write. It is estimated that he wrote over 5000 pages of hymns, odes, homilies and letters written to the faithful. Over 1000 pages have survived and are located in the University of Edinburgh. He wanted to travel to the Holy Land to find a desert where he could become an ascetic hermit and after his service at the monastery the abbot gave him his blessing. For 6 months he sought just the right place searching near Jerusalem and north to Jordan. God told him that this was not the right place so he returned to Cyprus. Here he regrouped at the monastery and researched all the deserts to try to determine which one God was directing him to. He set out again to seek the right desert but he was jailed in the port of Paphos as the guards thought he was a fugitive. When he got out of jail, in 1159, he took to the hills in Cyprus and found a small natural cave. This must be the desert that he was seeking. He lingered there for a while to make sure that the area was deserted and quiet. Once we was sure that no one was around he started to enlarge the cave to make room for a tiny chapel, his hermitage cell with a stone bench, a stone writing table and a tomb area for his remains when he died. Word got out that a holy man was in the cave and many came to visit and seek guidance. Eventually he selected a few of the seekers to become his disciples but never allowed more than 18. He and his disciples went about building a monastery near the cave which took 18 years. While building, his original cave was decorated with paintings in the Byzantine style. In 1191 Cyprus was captured in the third crusade, many of the Orthodox clergy were banished by the invading papists and the population was forced to become Roman Catholics. Cyprus would be ruled by foreign powers for the next 704 years. These various overlords included the Knights Templars and the deposed King of Jerusalem. In 1196, at the age of 58, he was chosen by the pope to be the spiritual leader of all of Cyprus. He had to balance his devotion to the Orthodox church, his vow to stay in his cave with the expectations of the catholic pope. These additional duties were taxing and one day he grabbed a ladder and climbed up from his cave to create a new cave to dwell in. After 40 years in the first cave, he lived in a new cave in total silence for another 15 years. He knew the time of his death and gave explicitly detailed instructions for his burial in the first cave. It was his wish to have the cave's opening be covered leaving no trace that could be seen from the outside. It remained sealed for 536 years until 1750 when a monk discovered the cave in the rock wall. When the abbot and others opened the tomb it was filled with an indescribably sweet fragrance.
We are climbing up from sea level
The road is hugging the cliffside
A church on our way
Lots of evergreens in the parking lot
The monastery dorms
A gate leading to the citrus groves and the garden
The sea off in the distance
The entry into the sanctuary
Off to the caves
The dome of the church is showing
The original cave is behind the arches and the secondary cave is up higher
A stairway to where?
A tiny shrine
Time to climb the stairs
These folks had cat food in their car
We are up at the main level looking back at the church
The path to the upper cave is closed off
In we go, but no photos are allowed
I followed the rules but these photos were on the interweb
So I copied them to show the paintings in the interior
Saint Neophytos is included in the depictions of many biblical scenes
Notice the window up top
Another cool window letting light illuminate the angel
Here he is shown with two angels
All Saints row
We are back out and looking up at the spiral staircase that leads to the upper level
Time to head over to the church and monastery
Houses are built across the ravine
Very fancy houses at that
A ship wreck off in the distance
Another Orthodox church up in the top of the ridge
Fire control hoses
A stone bridge
From 1879
The cats are full and sitting up on the roof
There were citrus trees and a working garden
The entry way
A gnarled olive tree
He is showing everyone of his 80 years
Dorm rooms for the monks
A quiet reflection before returning to his room
Golden portraits
A spike covered door knocker
These two headed birds must have a hard time deciding where to fly
As the sun plays hide and seek with the clouds the sea shines brightly
The gates
This was the sigh leading to the church at the top if the ridge
Cats!
It has been 3 years and 179 days since we began our Migration
