Agia Athina – Lithograph – Mount Athos

Description

Saint Athena: Life and Martyrdom

Saint Athena was one of the 40 virgins and ascetics who were martyred together for their faith in Christ. These forty saints, most of them with rare names, stood out for their external beauty but also for the beauty of their souls.

The 40 virgin martyrs came from Adrianople in Thrace. They lived there at the beginning of the 4th century AD and were disciples of Deacon Ammun. At that time, in the eastern part of the Roman Empire reigned Licinius, a terrible persecutor of Christians. Licinius had ordered all Christians to be exterminated. The 40 women, however, did not succumb to Licinius’ provocations to worship the idols. They were subjected to horrific torture along with their teacher on 1 September, the day on which their memory is celebrated.

The 40 virgins performed their religious duties with full devotion. Their lives were given to exercise. Their faith was so strong that they courageously confronted the emperor Licinius and did not hesitate in the face of terrible martyrdom.

They were not tempted by the material goods and riches of temporary life with which Licinius tried to persuade them to worship idols. The 40 virgins remained firm in their Orthodox faith and thus gained the heavenly glory of Paradise.

Lithograph Agia Athena

Using a lithographed copy of Byzantine art, the charismatic hagiographer Nektarios Nastos created this work following the traditional method of artificial aging, as taught on Mount Athos. At the four corners, the icon is painted with a gold finish, between the digging of the artificial aging.

Origin: Mount Athos