Thousands of Orthodox Christians in Cyprus venerated the left hand of St. Mary Magdalene after the relic was brought to the island from Mount Athos for the first time.

From September 28 to October 4, the relic was kept at the Church of the Apostle Andrew in the Platy-Aglantzia area of Nicosia, where large numbers of faithful came to pray and venerate it, according to Vima Orthodoxias.

The relic was accompanied by a delegation from the Simonopetra Monastery on Mount Athos, led by Hieromonk Gervasios. A fragment of the True Cross was also brought to Cyprus with the relic.

The solemn reception took place on the evening of September 28 on Kyrenia Avenue. The relic was received by Metropolitan Gregorios of Paphos and then carried in a procession to the Church of the Apostle Andrew.

The church remained open daily from morning until late evening throughout the week, allowing pilgrims to venerate the relic. Its visit to Cyprus concluded on October 4 with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, after which the relic left the island.

St. Mary Magdalene is traditionally revered as one of Christ’s closest disciples, a myrrh-bearing woman and the first witness to His Resurrection. Her relic is preserved at Simonopetra Monastery and is regarded as one of the monastery’s most treasured possessions. Church tradition describes the saint’s hand as incorrupt and retaining warmth.

The relic has been kept at Simonopetra for centuries, with documentary evidence of its presence there dating back at least to the 17th century. In 1748, it was reportedly stolen by Ottoman pirates and taken to Tripoli. The monks of Simonopetra raised funds to secure its return, and the relic was brought back to the monastery in 1776.

The relic also holds a special place in the history of Simonopetra itself. Following a devastating fire in 1891, monks traveled with the relic through Russia to raise funds for the restoration of the monastery. For this reason, St. Mary Magdalene came to be honored in the monastery’s tradition as its “second founder.”