Saint Marina – Aged Lithograph – Mount Athos

Description

Aged Lithograph of Saint Marina

Saint Marina, whose memory is celebrated on July 17, was born in Antioch of Pisidia. At the age of 15, she confessed to her father that she was a Christian. Shocked by this, he disowned her.

Later, she was captured by the governor of the region, who, struck by her beauty, asked her to renounce Christ in order to make her his wife. Saint Marina, known for her strong faith, refused, and the governor subjected her to severe torture. First, he tore her flesh, but the wounds healed on their own. Then he tried to burn her, but the fire did her no harm, and ultimately, he had her beheaded.

In several icons, Saint Marina is depicted defeating a demon who tried to tempt her into stopping her prayers while she was imprisoned, but the demon was unsuccessful.

Aged Lithograph: Characteristics

In this particular image, the monk-iconographer used the technique of lithography to create a work of unique beauty. Specifically, using a lithographed replica of Byzantine art, the monk crafted this piece following the traditional method of artificial aging, as taught in the iconography workshops of the Athonite State. The artificial aging of the icon is handcrafted, a process to which the monks of Mount Athos attribute special importance.

Origin: Mount Athos