St. Nicholas of the Cats stands on the Akrotiri peninsula, between the salt lake and the military airport. It was founded by St Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, who visited the island while returning from the Holy Land.
She brought cats to the island to fight away the ferocious snakes that plagued the island. During that time there was also a severe drought and the cats were shipped from Persia, Egypt and Palestine. Two bells were used to attract the cats, one for feeding and one for hunting. The snakes were soon eradicated and in time, created the breed of cat we now know as the 'Cyprus Cat.'
Construction of the monastery began in 327, by Byzantine governor Kalokeros who was sent to release the cats. The building seen today, is the result of remodelling that occured during the 14th Century.
The nuns took over the monastery in 1983. Sadly the old church was shuttered up and we were unable to go inside to see it.
Sources: Wikipedia, Eyewitness Travel: Cyprus
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