Hagia Sophia of Kleisoura – Silkscreen on Naturally Aged Wood – Mount Athos

Description

Silkscreen of Hagia Sophia of Kleisoura on Naturally Aged Wood

Hagia Sophia of Kleisoura, also known as the ascetic of the Virgin Mary, was born in 1883 AD in Trebizond of Pontus. She is renowned for her ascetic life and her boundless love for all of God’s creatures. It is said that even animals, including a bear, would eat from her hand. In 1907, she got married and shortly thereafter became a mother. However, within a few years, she lost both her child and her husband.

She sought refuge in the mountains, where she lived an ascetic life with strict fasting. There, she had a vision of Saint George, who warned her of an impending raid. As a result, Hagia Sophia alerted her fellow villagers, saving them from harm. In 1927, she moved to the Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Kleisoura, Kastoria, where she lived ascetically for nearly half a century. She ate very little, wore old clothes, and endured the harsh winters without heating.

She passed away on May 6, 1974.

As the icon is handcrafted and the wood is manually processed, there may be slight variations in the wood, but not in the depiction.

The icon is available upon request.

Dimensions: 25 x 33.5 x 2.5 cm

Origin: Mount Athos