Saint Mamas

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St Mamas, the lamb and the lion: icon in the church at Morphou
St Mamas, the lamb and the lion: icon in the church at Morphou

Saint Mamas was a Christian martyr who died c. 275 in Cappadocia. He preached to animals in the fields, and a lion remained with him as companion. In iconography, his attribute is the lion. His feast day is 17 August in the Roman calendar and 2 September in the Orthodox calendar.

In Cyprus he is popularly known as a poor hermit who lived in a cave near the Cypriot town of Morfou. According to local legend he was a hermit living in very poor circumstances and when the authorities tried to tax him, he evaded them. Soldiers were sent out and captured him but on the way back to town, he saw a lion attacking a lamb, escaped the soldiers, saved the lamb, jumped on the lion's back and in that way came to town. His bravery earned him exemption from tax.

Morphou in Cyprus has a celebrated church dedicated to Mamas.This church had been reopened by President of the TRNC, Mehmet Ali Talat only a few years ago as a gesture of good will, and functions each time there's a celebration of the Saint.

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