In the cave of Mount Kikkos, there lived an old hermit named Isaiah. One day, the Byzantine governor of Cyprus, Manuel Voutomites, who spent the summer in the village of Marathasa, went hunting in the forest. He lost his way and struggled to find his way back home. Eventually, he stumbled upon Isaiah by chance. The governor asked him for directions, but the recluse, who had withdrawn from the world, remained silent. Enraged by this behaviour, Manuel Voutomites struck Isaiah.

Sometime later, the governor returned to Nicosia and unexpectedly fell ill with an incurable disease known as "shatika," a form of paralysis. In unbearable pain, he remembered how inhumanely he had treated the hermit and began praying to God for healing, seeking forgiveness from Isaiah. His prayers were answered, and he was healed. Soon, God appeared to the hermit and told him that everything that had happened to the governor was part of divine will. God commanded Isaiah to ask Manuel Voutomites to bring him the icon of the Virgin Mary, painted by the Apostle Luke in Cyprus, which was kept in the imperial palace in Constantinople.

Upon hearing this, Manuel Voutomites was deeply saddened as he considered it impossible. Isaiah explained to him that it was the divine will and suggested they travel to Constantinople. Much time passed after they arrived in the capital, but the governor could not find a convenient moment to present himself before the emperor and request the icon. Not wanting to torment Isaiah any longer, he sent him back to Cyprus with other heroes and ceremonial regalia, assuring him that he would meet the emperor soon.

Shortly after, the emperor's daughter fell ill with the disease that had afflicted Manuel Voutomites. Taking advantage of this situation, the governor immediately visited Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. He told him about the hermit Isaiah and what had happened to him, assuring him that his daughter would be healed instantly if he agreed to send the icon to Cyprus. The emperor settled in sorrow, and his daughter soon recovered.

However, the emperor, reluctant to part with the icon, summoned the empire's finest artists to create a replica to send it to Cyprus. During the night, the Virgin Mary appeared in his dream and informed him that she wished to see the original icon on Cyprus while the copies should remain with him. The next day, the ship carrying the hero of the Virgin Mary set sail for Cyprus, where Isaiah awaited its arrival. During the procession from the coast to the Troodos Mountains, the trees bent their trunks and branches to greet and revere the holy icon. Soon after the icon was transferred to the island, the emperor ordered the construction of a church and monastery in the mountains to house it.

Today, the Monastery of Kikkos stands as a revered place of worship and pilgrimage, known as one of the most important holy sites in Cyprus. It houses not only the sacred icon but also other valuable relics and artefacts associated with the religious and historical importance of the island.

Over time, the Monastery of Kikkos has become a centre of spiritual life and cultural heritage in Cyprus. It continues to attract pilgrims and visitors worldwide who seek to pay their respects to the icon and seek blessings.