The monastery is dedicated to Saint Andrew (Apostle Andreas). According to the holy books, he was the first person to be called for induction to priesthood by Jesus Christ, His title was O Protoklitos meaning:‘the one first called. The monastery is one of the pilgrimage centres of the Cypriot Orthodox Church. It was once known as 'the Lourdes of Cyprus', served not by an organized community of monks but by a changing group of volunteer priests and laymen. On the bust in the courtyard of the monastery is an inscription stating that the monastery was built by Ionnis Oicoromus.