Saint Irene Chrysovalantou – Lithograph – Mount Athos

Description

Lithograph of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou

The image of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou was created using the lithography technique. Saint Irene lived in the 9th century AD, during the reign of Empress Theodora. She was from Cappadocia and was distinguished for her piety, beauty, and noble upbringing. According to Christian tradition, her virtues attracted the attention of a distinguished man who asked for her hand in marriage, and together they set out for Constantinople.

However, on their journey, as they passed by the Monastery of Chrysovalantou, the interactions with the nuns there were so appealing to her that she decided to stay with them. She returned to her homeland, sold her possessions to help many poor people, and donated the remaining money to the Monastery. She renounced the worldly life and became a nun, living an ascetic life. Later, she was appointed abbess. The Church honors the memory of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou on July 28th.

Lithograph of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou: Characteristics

The lithography technique is taught in the iconography workshops of Mount Athos and is also used by many monks to create exceptional works of art. In this case, the iconographer monk used a lithographed copy of Byzantine art and created this work following the traditional method of artificial aging.

Origin: Mount Athos