One of the most important surviving Orthodox shrines Turkish part of Cyprus - St. Mamas Monastery - was built in honor of the Cypriot hermit Mamas that we better known as the Mamas-ovcharnik. Mamas lived in the XII century and was engaged in goat breeding and cultivation of grapes. According to legend, who ruled Cyprus at the time of the Roman governor accused the hermit evasion of taxes and duties and sent him the soldiers who were supposed to result in "criminal" to the governor. However, when the soldiers were in town Mamas, suddenly they were attacked by a lion, who jumped out of the woods. In the fear of the soldiers fled, but the prisoner was not scared and sitting astride a lion, he came to him straight to the Roman governor. He was so impressed by this that the mere Mamas and even exempted him from payment of all taxes. It has since Mamas and is considered the patron saint of animals, and that's funny, tax evaders.

In the town of Morphou monastery in honor of the XVIII century it was built. It was in this church in a marble sarcophagus holds the remains Mamas. People believe that the balm that comes out of the holes in the sarcophagus, helps in diseases of the eye and ear, and can even soothe the raging sea.

Initially, the temple was built in the Byzantine style, but after that it was rebuilt many times, it became visible elements of Gothic. The large central dome also was added much later. The monastery houses many icons of St Mamas, where it is traditionally portrayed as sitting on a huge lion young shepherd, who is holding a lamb.