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Irene Chrysovalantou

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Our venerable mother '''Irene of Chrysovalantou''' was the [[abbess]] of the [[monastery]] of Chrysovalantouduring the ninth century. Her [[feast day]] is on [[July 28]].
Originally slated to wed the EmperorMichael, she went to the monastery of Chrysovalantou, and immediately engaged herself in vigils and prayer. She then replaced the Abbess very early on, and increased her spiritual struggles, with great trust in God to guide the community properly. She developed the gifts of foresight and exorcism. Her prayer through the night continued in the courtyard of the monastery, and caused herself to levitate and the cypress trees to bend towards her. She was granted three apples from St . [[Apostle John|John the Theologian]], visions of angels[[angel]]s, and appeared in a vision to the Emperor to release an unjustly convicted man. After her death at 102 years, she continued to be a wonderworker.
[[Image:St_Irene_Chrysovalantou.jpg|frame|right|Saint Irene, Abbess of the Monastery of Chrysovalantou]]
Irene, amazed by his [[prophesy|prophetic]] power, [[prostration|prostrated]] and begged his blessing. Ioannikos lifted her up, gave her strength with spiritual thoughts and gave his blessing, and Irene joyfully continued the journey to Constantinople. On her arrival, she was received with great ceremony by relatives, patricians, senators, and poor.
But, the wedding was not to be: Michael had already been married. Irene was not upset, but rather gave thanks to God; turning down many marriage proposals from outstanding men in [[Byzantium]], she set off for the Monastery of Chrysovalantou.
==Sister of Chrysovalantou==
The abbess of Chrysovalantou noticed that Irene was following [[Christ]]'s words that "without Me, you can do nothing. Anyone who remains in Me as I remain in him will bear much fruit" ([[Gospel of John|John]] 15:5); and the [[novice]] was admired by all for her obedience, humility, love, and enthusiasm; her community went so far as to say that she had the spirit of a freed slave.
In her [[cell ]] she read the lives of the saints[[saint]]s, learning from St. [[Arsenios Arsenius the Great|ArseniosArsenius]] the night-long prayer. Irene asked for a blessing to embark on this, and the abbess, recognising Irene's humility, granted her request before the end of her first year of the novitiate. Irene was able to stand from morning to night with [[orans|hands raised]], sometimes standing for full days without movement, much to the amazement of the abbess.
Irene would do this for three years, and the evil one was unable to divert her because of Irene's success in subduing earthly thoughts and temptations through [[abstinence]] and obedience. Her food was bread and water, with occasional supplements from herbs or vegetables; her [[habit]] was replaced only every [[Easter]], and she would only clean it to give to the poor during [[Lent]]. Her obedience was cleaning the bathroom. Any wayward thoughts or signs of the evil one's activity were immediately [[confession|confessed]] to the abbess, with Irene's exercises recommenced.
:"Do not lament my departure for in my successor you have a leader who is wiser than I. Be obedient to her, this daughter of light, lamb of Christ and vessel of the Holy Spirit. Do not accept anyone but Irene."
Then, with the words "Glory to You, O Lord, in Your mercy," she reposed. Irene was not told of these disclosures for the sake of her humility, but the sisterhood prayed that the Lord's will would be done, and then sought the [[patriarch]]'s advice. Patriarch [[Methodios the Confessor]] was a leader of great courage, and, through the iconoclasts, had the [[stigmata]] of Christ, and also had the gift of foresight. When the [[patriarch ]] asked who should be the superior, they responded that the patriarch should decide, guided by the Holy Spirit. Patriarch Methodios asked if there was a humble nun named Irene; and if so, that she was the choice pleasing in the sight of God. The sisterhood was filled with such joy at the workings of the Holy Spirit that Methodios rose and offered [[incense]] as thanks to the Lord, and [[ordination|ordained]] Irene [[deaconess]]. After advising her in the ways of administering and guiding the sisterhood, the patriarch clothed her as abbess and gave the sisterhood his blessing as farewell.
==Abbess of Chrysovalantou==
===The Magician's Wiles===
A young and beautiful girl came to the monastery of Chrysovalantou and became a novice. To fight this, the evil one incited her ex-fiancé such that he sought the help of a magician in Cappadocia. The magician's spells made the novice lose her mind and threaten to drown herself. Irene lamented her neglect and received the power to defy the evil one in this struggle. Gathering her community together, she explained the situation and ordered a week-long period of [[fast]]ing, daily 100 prostrations, and the continual prayer for an understanding of God's will. On the third night, St. [[Basil the Great|Basil]] appeared to Irene, advising her to take the novice to the convent of [[Panagia Blachernitissa|Vlachernae]], where the Mother of God would heal her. Taking two senior nuns with her, on arrival they fell asleep during their first [[All-Night Vigil|all-night [[vigil]] from exhaustion.
Irene's vision continued while she slept: a pilgrim procession appeared in white and golden robes, shining with a strange and unearthly light, scattering flowers and incense on the path. Irene asked their purpose, to be told that the Mother of God was coming. The Mother of God arrived at that moment, surrounded by hosts of angels, so radiant that none could look upon her; she visited the sick, then came to Irene, who prostrated in fear. While prostrate, Irene heard the Mother of God tell St. [[Basil the Great|Basil of Caesarea]] to cure the young girl from Caesarea, saying, "My Son and God has given you this power." Irene then awoke with the message, "Return to your convent and within three days your novice will be healed." She disclosed her vision to her companions and they departed with joy, arriving in time for Friday's [[Vespers]].
Irene offered a prayer of thanksgiving, with tears of joy, for St. [[John the Theologian]], the [[Apostle]], [[Evangelist]], and beloved disciple of Christ. The sailor asked for a blessing and left the monastery. Irene fasted for a week, thanking God for the apples. After this, she ate small pieces of the first apple daily, without any other form of sustenance, for forty days; when she ate, she smelt as if she was exuding [[myrrh]]; during this time, the remaining apples became more beautiful and aromatic. On [[Holy_Week|Holy Thursday]], she directed her sisterhood to receive Communion; after the Liturgy, the second apple was divided between them; when eaten, so sweet was the taste that the sisters felt as if their souls were being fed. The third apple was kept until Irene would know what to do with it.
On [[Holy_WeekHoly Week|Holy Friday]], during the singing of the [[hymn]]s of the [[Passion]], Irene had a vision of countless radiant angelic beings entering the church: some with stringed instruments, singing beautiful hymns to God; others with goblets of myrrh, to be poured onto the [[altar]], which filled the monastery with a wonderful fragrance. Among these beings was a particularly majestic man, a face radiant like the sun, who was treated with devotion. He approached the altar and, taking the shroud offered to him by the other beings, covered the now-fragrant alteraltar.
The angel who stood by the altar, with great sadness, cried out to the majestic one, "Until when, O Lord?" to which a voice replied, "Until the second Solomon, when the heights will be united with the depths and all will be one. Then the Lord will be exalted and the memory of Irene will be glorified." Irene took this as confirmation of her teaching that no one, whether herself or another of the sisters, could be glorified until they achieved the Kingdom in death. Irene gathered the community, reiterating the necessity of running from worldly honour to achieve and behold the glory of God.
==St. Irene the Wonder-worker==
Countless miracles surround St. Irene. First of these was the smellfragrance, the same present at the funeral, which continued at the saint's grave for years. Countless miracles occur at the site, and many prayers for St. Irene's intercessions are continually answered. One such series of miracles is for mothers who are unable to conceive: after asking for St. Irene's intercessions, often a child is born, and the parents will name their child Chrysovalanti or Chrysovalantou.
==Monastery of Chrysovalantou in Attika, Greece==
*[http://goarch.org/en/chapel/saints.asp?contentid=498 Irene the Righteous of Chrysovalantou] ([[GOARCH]])
*[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/i/inp160.htm Icon of St. Irene of Chrysovolantos]
*[http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=8qQGOr57nz8 Απολυτίκιον Αγίας Ειρήνης Χρυσοβαλάντου]
[[Category:Featured Articles]]
[[Category:Monastics]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:Greek Saints]]
[[Category:Wonderworkers]]
[[Category:9th-century saints]]
[[ro:Irina (din Hrisovalant)]]

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