Mary Magdalene's relic will be brought to Cyprus for the first time. Monks say it retains the warmth of a human body.

A relic believed by the faithful to be the left hand of Saint Mary Magdalene will be brought to Cyprus for the first time. It will be on display in the Church of the Apostle Andrew in Platy Aglantzias, Nicosia, from September 28th to October 4th. The faithful will be able to view it daily from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The relic is normally kept at the Simonos Petras Monastery on Mount Athos. Extraordinary legends surround it. Monks claim that the hand resists decay, retains its natural color, exudes a pleasant fragrance, and even maintains a temperature close to that of the human body. These stories belong to religious tradition and should not be presented as independently confirmed scientific findings.

Relic of Mary Magdalene in Cyprus

The ceremonial welcoming of the relics will take place on Monday, September 28, 2026, at 6:00 PM on Kyrenias Avenue in Aglantzias.

The relic will be brought by Hieromonk Gervasius and clergy from Simonos Petras Monastery on Mount Athos. It will be welcomed in Cyprus by Metropolitan Gregory of Paphos.

It will then be transferred to the Church of the Apostle Andrew in Platy Aglantzias. It will remain there until Sunday, October 4. According to Cypriot media, this will be the relic's first visit to the island.

One of the most extraordinary relics of Mount Athos

The left hand attributed to Mary Magdalene is kept at Simonos Petras Monastery, one of the most distinctive monasteries on Mount Athos. The buildings rise from a rocky outcrop high above the Aegean Sea.

Mount Athos is an autonomous center of Orthodox monastic life within Greece. It is home to 20 major monasteries. For centuries, women have been banned from entering.

For this reason, bringing the relics outside of Mount Athos has a special significance. It also allows people who would never be able to visit Simonos Monastery to see them.

The relic rarely leaves the monastery. In 2014, it was displayed in Poland, visiting places including Warsaw, Białystok, Hajnówka, Łódź, Bielsk Podlaski, and Wrocław.

Is the hand really 36.6°C?

The most remarkable story surrounding the relic concerns its temperature. According to monks, the hand is said to remain warm and maintain a temperature similar to that of a living person.

The monks also report that the relic has retained its natural color, has not decayed, and emits a pleasant fragrance. In Orthodox tradition, it is referred to as a non-oxygenating relic.

One story tells of researchers who were supposed to have come to Mount Athos to check whether the reliquary was being artificially heated. The hand was supposedly placed on the snow, which began to melt beneath it.

However, no independent research has been publicly presented to scientifically confirm the relic's temperature, age, or the identity of the person to whom it belonged. Therefore, information about its extraordinary properties should be considered part of the monastery's tradition and the testimony of its monks.

The relic attributed to Saint Mary Magdalene is normally kept at Simonos Petras Monastery on Mount Athos. Click on the image to enlarge it.

Who was Mary Magdalene?

Mary Magdalene is one of the most recognizable women mentioned in the New Testament. She accompanied Jesus, was present at his crucifixion, and, according to the Gospels, was among the first to see him after his resurrection.

For this reason, in Christianity she is sometimes called the "Apostle to the Apostles." In the Orthodox tradition, she is venerated as equal to the Apostles and a preacher of the resurrection.

We don't know for sure what happened to her later life or where she was buried. One tradition holds that she died in Ephesus. Her remains were supposedly transferred to Constantinople in the ninth century, and in the following centuries, parts of them were placed in various temples and monasteries.

Relics attributed to Mary Magdalene are preserved in France, Rome, and Mount Athos, among other places. However, their authenticity cannot be confirmed based on modern research.

A rare event not only for the faithful

The arrival of the relics will be primarily a religious and pilgrimage event. However, it may also be of interest to those interested in Byzantine history, culture, and Orthodox traditions.

For seven days, the church in Aglantzias will be open to visitors from early morning until evening. Those planning to visit should expect increased traffic, especially during the welcoming ceremony and on weekends.

Sources: Philenews, Parish of the Apostle Andrew in Platy Aglantzias, Aleteia