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==Repose of the Venerable Irene== After this both the Royal Household and the family of the exonerated prisoner were very attentive to the example and teaching of the convent of Chrysovalantou. The convent in turn received numerous gifts. Among many other gifts of the Spirit, the holy abbess became known for her ability to predict death and was thus able to help strengthen many a soul during its last hours on earth. Despite all these wonderful gifts our future saint was, after all, only a mortal being and the angel’s prophecy that she would be called to the divine presence on the day following the commemoration of St. Panteleimon had to be fulfilled. They kept the day before St. Panteleimon as the feast of the foundation of their monastery. Irene spent the whole week before the feast preparing herself by remaining all day in meditation and fasting.
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The artist painted a portrait, but when it was shown to the Emperor the whole company was overwhelmed by a great light. Blinded, the Emperor said the beginning of Psalm 50, and to his amazement, his blindness passed. He looked at the portrait and realised that it was the same person he had seen in the vision. The prisoner was released with full honours, and a message of thanks was sent to Irene for intervening. He asked for her presence to bless himself and the Empress, but she responded "Thanks be to God who desires not the death of a sinner but his repentance. Do not thank me, glorify Him", and "It is neither right for your Majesties to enter the convent nor for me to visit you. You do not need the blessing of a sinful woman when you have the Holy Patriarch and spiritual directors of the great monasteries to advise you. Do as they say and you will rule this empire with wisdom. Please attend to what I say and may the right hand of God watch over you".
After these events, the Royal House, as well as the family of the former prisoner, were attentive to the example and teaching of the monastery of Chrysovalantou; in return for this, the monastery received numerous gifts. Among many others, Irene became known for her ability to predict death. Using this gift from God, she was able to strengthen many people in their last hours.
==Repose of the Venerable Irene==
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This meant taking only water with small pieces of that extraordinary holy apple sent from paradise by the beloved disciple of Christ our Lord. She ate it now because she felt that the time to join the bridegroom was near. From the time of eating the first fragment all enmity disappeared and the whole monastery was again filled with that extraordinary fragrance. Nevertheless, in a moment of doubt she cried out with great anguish and the sisters rushed to her aid. By the grace of God she immediately recovered her composure and said, “Today, my children, I depart from this world and you will see me no more. For the time has come for me to pass to eternal life. Therefore elect as your superior Sister Mary, for I know that she has already been chosen by God. I know that she will lead you according to His Will and keep you on the narrow path so that you will also attain to the broad avenues of paradise. Hate the world and all that is in it, for as our Lord and Master has said, ‘Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, there is no love for the Father in him’ (I John 2:15), because all these temporal things are vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Never follow the will of the flesh but only the Will of God because it is He who gave you all things that you may return them to Him in that day.