2nd OMOY Festival

With a lot of fairy tales!

On the axis of nature, culture, tradition the "OMOY Festival" was established in the picturesque community of Omodos. At the initiative of Mrs Maria Camberi, the tradition of the village began and continues to be promoted, with the aim of learning the younger ones. The main objective is the creation of a new approach and, by extension, the perspective of the existing "festival" as it has been taking place in the villages of Cyprus for many years. 

On Sunday, August 12, from 10:00 am. until 9:30 pm, you can enjoy it, in the village square, through various thematic units. Free Entrance!    
  Photo: Giannakis Papanastasiou

Omodos is 42 kilometers northwest of the city of Limassol in the geographical area of Krassohorias. Built near the western bank of the river Ha Potami, at an average altitude of 810 meters, it creates a very beautiful setting between the green surroundings. The village is surrounded by high mountain peaks, the highest of which is Afamis (1153 m) and Cremos of Laona (1092 m).  

The village was most likely to have been built at the end of the Byzantine period or early Frankish rule, after which the settlements of Pano and Kato Kupetra, which were located on the east bank of the River Ha Potami, were dissolved. Traditionally, Isaakios Komninos, who was the despot of Cyprus (1185-1191) after his defeat at Kolossi by the English King Richard Liondocardo, resorted to Kupetra until Richard was invited to Limassol for talks and peace. This means that in 1191 there were the Kupetra which later dissolved.   

After the dissolving of the settlements of Coupeters, a new settlement was created around the original monastery of the Holy Cross, which was named Omodos. However during the Frankish period the village existed. De Massa Latri mentions it as a feud. The medieval chronicler Leontios Machairas reports that Omodos was granted to the nobleman Jean de Brie by the King of Cyprus Iakov I on the occasion of his election in 1382. The village is marked on old maps as Homodos, Homocios and Omodos. 

For the Greek name of the village the most prevalent versions are three:

1. From the Cypriot word of fashion, which means in your peace, in a way, carefully, when the inhabitants of Couperes, watching each night a light on the opposite mountain, went to see what was happening and found the light to come out of the heart of a dense and inaccessible wadding, which they had to cut through to pass, and one of them told "in your own way" until they finally found a cave with a wooden cross and a lamp lit in it.
2. From the village many roads start for the surrounding villages. The Omodos formed from the petition and the road word.
3. In Frankish documents, it is reported that the feudal lord Homodeus lived in the area, and it was very likely that the name of the feudal lord and the village was named.

Τhe most famous products of Omodos are "Arkadeνα" and the handicrafts, the traditional "Pipilla" made with a needle. You can find and buy at the various small shops in the square and the alleys of the village. 

The old monastery of Omodos, which today is the main church of the village, is very beautiful and ancient. There, he is part of the Holy Wood and many other Holy Remains, such as the cart of Apostle Philippos.