HIS LIFE :
Very little is known about the life of St Kendeas.He lived the monastic life in the deserts close to the River Jordan. He left his home at a young age and lived in a secluded cave by the Jordan,praying and fasting.One of the first miracles he performed was to cure the possessed child of a rich man,who had spent a lot of money in an attempt to find a cure without success. The man learned of the miraculous powers of the Monks by the Jordan. He decided to take his child to a monk called Ananaias. The Lord told Ananaias to send the child to St Kendeas who cured him. St Kendeas became the Metropolitan of Jerusalem. He however, missed the monastic life and returned to his secluded cave after a few years.
ST KENDEAS GOES TO CYPRUS:
All the ascetics of the Jordan were constantly hassled by thieves and robbers. As a result they left for Cyprus. As the ship reached the waters of Paphos, it split into two,and St Kendeas and all the others walked across the water to the shore.
St Kendeas stayed in Paphos. His friend Jonas went to Salamina. After a few years St Kendeas went to visit his friend Jonas at Salamina. Near the village of Avgorou,St Kendeas saw a little cave . This exists to this very day. St Kendeas promised the Lord that he would never leave this cave until he died. St Kendeas was tired and hot. He knelt on a rock and prayed for water ,and to see his friend Jonas. Immediately the stone became a source of clear water and a bright cloud brought his friend Jonas in front of him. They talked and were overjoyed to see each other. Then the cloud took Jonas away again to Salamina.The residents of the area saw the water source and asked how it got there. St Kendeas became known around the area. The sick were brought to him and he cured them all with his prayers. For seventeen years there was a drought in Cyprus. When he was asked by the inhabitants to pray for rain, he sent them to their homes. As soon as he raised his hands to the sky, it clouded over and rain fell.
Since he had been a child, St Kendeas had never slept in a bed. He always slept on the ground.
THE DEATH OF ST KENDEAS:
One day as the people came to him with their sick, they found his body. It gave forth a beautiful fragrance. He was buried in his cave. Many miracles happened after he died. It was much later that a church and monastery was built near his cave. His church has probably been there from the seventh or tenth century. In 1972 there was only a church there and five or six cells, mostly in ruins. After 1972, the nuns with the help of St Kendeas and the church built new cells,and the monastery again became the source of help for the sick. His Holy Water is there too.
We celebrate his name day on 6th October every year. Many of the nuns there, as well as many of the local inhabitants have seen him. For many years his name day has been celebrated as a public holiday by the inhabitants of the village of Avgorou.He shows himself to many people who do not know him and he introduces himself to them. |
