 |
| Church of Archangel Michael, Frenaros |
Τhe Monastery of Saydanaya contains a miraculous icon of the Theotokos with infant Jesus which was painted by the Evangelist Luke the Apostle. The word "Saydanaya" is a a combined word and in Assyrian "Sayda" means Lady while "Naya" means our. That is, Our Lady, as they call the Panagia there.
 |
| Virgin Mary of Saydanaya |
The monastery was built in 547 AD. It is said that the Emperor Justinian, while crossing the Syrian desert during the war with the Persians, went through severe hardships in these parts along wth his army for lack of water.
At the area where now the monastery is built, a beautful deer appeared to the Emperor, which he persistently chased.
As the deer came to a spring of water, it took the form of the Virgin Mary who asked Justinian to build on that very spot a monastery in her name in commemoration of the miracle that saved them from lack of water.
Returning from the war, Justinian ordered his architects to design a monastery to be build at the spot indicated by the Virgin Mary. Because no design could satisfy him, the Virgin herself appeared again to the Emperor and presented him with the beautiful design which the monastery is built today.
In the church of Archangel Michael at the village of Frenaros in Cyprus, there is an icon dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Saydanaya, Byzantine in art, which dates from the 14th century.
This icon is known in Cyprus as "Panagia (Virgin Mary) of Hunting" and apparently this name was given due to the above story. The existence of this icon in Cyprus indicates that the Virgin Mary of Saydanaya in Syria was once famous on the island, which means that in the past many Cypriot pilgrims would have had traveled to the said monastery in Syria.
Source - nostos
Posts
