Irene Chrysovalantou

Our venerable mother Irene of Chrysovalantou was the abbess of the monastery of Chrysovalantou during the ninth century. Her feast day is on July 28.

Originally slated to wed the Emperor Michael, 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. John the Theologian, visions of angels, 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.

Saint Irene, Abbess of the Monastery of Chrysovalantou

The Royal Wedding

Irene was born in Cappadocia to an aristocratic family. She had a sister who would later marry Empress Theodora's brother Vardas.

Empress Theodora, who ruled the empire after the death of Theophilus as regent for her son, re-established Orthodoxy and removed the iconoclasts. On her son Michael's twelfth birthday, Empress Theodora sent messengers to find a suitably beautiful, virtuous, and refined girl for Michael's wife. Coming across Irene, they offered and she accepted to wed Michael, and they (along with some of Irene's family) set off for Constantinople for the wedding.

During the journey to Constantinople they passed Mt. Olympos, and Irene asked to visit Ioannikos the recluse to receive his blessing. The hermit's spiritual insight allowed him to foresee the arrival of the group, and also Irene's future, and he said, "Welcome Irene, Servant of God. Proceed to the Imperial City in joy because the convent of Chrysovalantou needs you in the community."

Irene, amazed by his prophetic power, 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

Irene was impressed by the monastery's atmosphere and the sisterhood's way of life, so much so that she freed her slaves, gave her inherited wealth and dowry to the poor and entered the community, wearing a habit of sackcloth. With humility and obedience she served the sisterhood, cheerfully and attentively performing the most lowly and despised tasks, and never using worldly sophistries or aristocratic indignation.

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" (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, learning from St. Arsenius 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 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 confessed to the abbess, with Irene's exercises recommenced.

After this, Irene had only to cross herself as successful defense against the evil one; however, on one occasion she was so shaken with doubt that she fell to the ground, shedding tears of prayer to the Lord, His holy Mother, all the saints and the archangels (to whom the monastery was dedicated).

"O Blessed Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), everlasting God, at the intercession of Your most holy Mother and in the presence of the archangels, their armies, the celestial powers and all Your saints, help Your servant. Deliver me from the assaults of the devil."

After many tears in many nights, she was able to overcome these doubts, and in her renewed devotion she appeared transfigured to many people whom she led to the Lord, renewing the faith of rich and poor and causing many unmarried women enter the monastery.

After some time, the abbess became weak and near the time of her repose. The sisterhood was filled with sorrow on realising this, while Irene shed many tears. On her last day, many nuns had gathered in her cell, but Irene was not there; the abbess noted this, and said to them:

"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 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

When the sisterhood arrived at the monastery, they held a great celebration for the friends and spiritual children of the monastery. Irene was joyless because she felt herself to be utterly inadequate for the task, however, the sisterhood reassured her. In her cell she constantly prayed, saying:

"Lord Jesus Christ, Good Shepherd of Your sheep, help Your servant and this, my flock, because we have no power of our own to resist the assaults of the demons. Leave us not without Your grace."

To which she received the reply:

"Watch and pray without ceasing for from this day you will have the responsibility of the spiritual welfare of many for whom our Lord was incarnate and shed His precious blood, souls that He has committed to your care. Take care that the 'blind do not lead the blind' so that both fall into the ditch."

In receiving this command, Irene redoubled her spiritual exercises and was given great wisdom and revelations in how to lead the flock. With this strength from God, she told her sisterhood:

"I know, beloved sisters in Christ, that it was not logical that I, your humble, unworthy, and illiterate servant, should be called to teach you, but the ways of God are mysterious. If it is by His grace that I am your superior, then I pray that you will obey me. Surely if we do not obey the laws (promised before God and His angels) of the habit we wear, we achieve nothing. For it is said: 'faith without works is dead' (James 2:17). Why have we left the unreal and temporal world? To disobey His commandments? If so, like the foolish virgins we also will lose the eternal kingdom. (Matthew 25:1-13) The soul cannot be divided so as to have both pride and humility, unrestricted pleasure and abstinence. Therefore let us rid our soul of worldly desire and seek only purity, humility, patience, and love (prayer of St. Isaac the Syrian) lest we lose not only ourselves but others also."

The more Irene was respected for her judgment, holy way of life, and miracles, the more she humbled herself. She identified with the unrepentant thief such that, at the offering of Eucharist, she had to hide her face to prevent people from seeing her tears. Sometimes Irene would remain in prayer and contemplation for as long as a week without ceasing, taking only uncooked vegetables and water for sustenance.

Wonder-worker of Chrysovalantou

Gift of Foresight

One of Irene's gifts was that of foresight. Irene asked God that she might be given the gift of foresight so that she could have knowledge of the sisters' impending trials so that she would be better able to advise them. A guardian angel greeted her, saying, "Hail, fruitful servant of God, the Lord has sent me that more might be saved through your guidance. I am to remain at your side and disclose the events of the future." He disappeared, but remained with her, continually revealing the hidden problems of the nuns and all others who sought her advice. Irene was able to use her gift to correct confessions, never to reprimand or humiliate. Giving thanks to God, regardless of how many would seek her advice, she increased in humility.

Prince Varda's Death

Irene's sister, wife of Prince Varda, sent her eunuch to see Irene. Irene informed him of a recent revelation that the prince would soon die at the wish of the Emperor Michael, and that the emperor himself would immediately lose his life and kingdom. Even though this disclosure was confidential, Prince Varda was told everything by his wife; however, due to Prince Varda's pride and faithlessness, he dismissed the idea. As the saint predicted, Prince Varda was killed in battle, closely followed by the Emperor. Irene continued to serve the Church in the reign of Basil the Macedonian, the successor to the throne.

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 fasting, daily 100 prostrations, and the continual prayer for an understanding of God's will. On the third night, St. Basil appeared to Irene, advising her to take the novice to the convent of 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 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 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.

After Vespers, Irene instructed her sisterhood to lift up their eyes and hands to heaven and cry, "Lord, have mercy;" after many hours and many tears, Sts. Basil and Anastasia said to Irene, "Stretch out your hand, accept the gift, and do not trouble us any more." The gift was the magician's aids, including model idols of the nun and her ex-fiancé.

Giving thanks to God during the all-night vigil, in the morning they sent the novice to Vlachernae with holy bread and all the magician's aids. After the Divine Liturgy at Vlachernae, the priest anointed her and solemnly burnt the magician's aids. As the aids were burnt, the suffering novice was released from her bonds, and the idols made sounds like pigs anticipating slaughter. The novice, and all those present, were filled with holy fear and gave thanks to the Lord.

Destroyer of Demons

Nicholas was a young man, responsible for the vineyard of the monastery. He fell in love with one of the nuns, such that he lay awake at night listening to the suggestions of the demons to hear how he might satisfy his lust. One night he fell unconscious as a result of this. The following morning Irene heard of this, and said, "Blessed be God who has allowed us to be the objects of the devil's attention," and gave orders for Nicholas to be taken to the Church of St. Anastasia so that Irene would not receive the credit for Nicholas' healing. However, St. Anastasia appeared to Irene and told her not to lay aside the responsibility for healing her own servant.

Irene decided to confine Nicholas in a straightjacket tied to one of the pillars of the church. Once after the Great Entrance, Nicholas was so consumed with fury that he broke the chains, rushed to the Holy Doors and began to bite the flesh of the priest, so much so that Irene had to leave her stall and order Nicholas to be still; an order so powerful that he was immediately calm. He tried to move back, but he could not move.

After the Liturgy Irene prostrated herself beside Nicholas and prayed to God for his health. After some time, she stood up and ordered the demon to leave Nicholas, who was seized and hurled to the ground, after which Nicholas was cured. He was sent back to work with a strict rule of life, was advised to pray for the protection of the holy angels to avoid such a thing happening in the future, and left praising God.

Handkerchiefs of the Cypress Trees

On great feasts it was the custom of Irene to keep vigil in the courtyard of the monastery, giving thanks for the awesome beauty of creation. During one of these vigils one of the nuns, who was unable to sleep, left her cell and entered the courtyard. The nun was blessed to see Irene motionless, in prayer and levitated a metre off the ground, with two cypress trees bent to the ground before her. After Irene had finished, she blessed the trees and they returned to standing upright.

At first, the nun thought this to be a vision of the evil one. Afterwards, when others of the sisterhood noticed handkerchiefs at the top of those trees, the nun who saw Irene related what she saw. In response to this the whole sisterhood was so excited that Irene rebuked them, focusing on the need for concentration of their own prayer rule and ordering them not to relate any miracles until after Irene's repose.

Apples of St. Basil

Irene kept the feast of St. Basil especially holy because they both came from Cappadocia. After the feast day of St. Basil, during the third watch of the night, she heard a voice saying, "Welcome the sailor who brings fruit to you today and eat it with joy; let your soul rejoice;" followed by a similar voice during Matins saying, "Go to the door and bring in the sailor who is visiting you." She invited the sailor in and greeted one another, and stayed until the end of the Liturgy. After Liturgy, Irene enquired after the sailor's journey, to which he replied,

"I am a sailor from Patinas and I joined a boat coming to this town for business. As we were passing the coast of that island, we saw a very old man on the shore who called to us to wait for him. We could not because we were near the rocks, so with a good wind behind us we left. He then shouted all the more loudly ordering the boat to stop. This it did at once. Then he came to us walking on the waves and soon entered the boat. Then taking three apples from beneath his cloak, he gave them to me saying, 'When you go to the capital, give these to the patriarch and tell him that the Almighty sends them to him from His beloved disciple, John.' After that he took another three and asked that these be presented to you, the abbess of Chrysovalantou. To you he said, 'Eat these and all that your beautiful soul desires will be granted you because this gift comes to you from John in Paradise.' Having said this he blessed God, wished us well, and disappeared."

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 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 Friday, during the singing of the hymns 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 altar.

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.

The Emperor's Vision

Irene had a noble relative who was unjustly convicted of conspiracy to kill the emperor, who then sentenced the noble relative to drown at sea. Friends and relatives of the convicted ran to Irene for intervention. She comforted them and told them to return home and to have faith in God. She then went to her cell to intercede for the unjustly condemned man.

God allowed for Irene to appear before the emperor in a dream. Irene threatened the emperor, saying "O King, get up immediately and release the prisoner condemned through jealousy. If you do not listen to me I will request the King of Kings to cause your death and the deliverance of your worthless body to wild animals." The Emperor, angered, asked who threatened him; she responded, "I am the abbess of Chrysovalantou. Irene is my name," and hit him so hard that he awoke and she disappeared. The eemperor demanded from the guards an explanation as to how the woman had escaped. The guards pleaded their ignorance, and he realised that he had received a vision.

The next day, the condemned was questioned and proved his loyalty to the emperor's satisfaction. The emperor asked him if he knew of an Irene of Chrysovalantou. "Of course," was his response. "She is a relative of mine, a most virtuous and God-fearing abbess, so humble that she never leaves her monastery and only rarely receives visitors."

The emperor sent his nobles, along with an artist, to go to Chrysovalantou monastery, so that the artist could paint a portrait of Irene after he had left the monastery; all this was revealed to Irene. After Matins she returned to the church with the sisterhood, telling them to bring the visitors to her immediately. When they arrived to her, she became so radiant that they fell to the floor, unable to behold such a presence. Irene immediately told them, "Do not be afraid. I am also a fallible creature. But why does your skeptical master put you to all this trouble? Tell him to do as I said and release the prisoner, or else all that I prophesied will befall him." The nobles agreed to report this to the emperor, but asked to stay with her, ostensibly to hear more words from her, but also for the artist to be able to paint her likeness.

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

In accordance with angelic prophecy, that Irene would repose on the day after St. Panteleimon's feast day, the monastery kept the day before St. Panteleimon as a feast to celebrate the anniversary of the monastery's founding.

Irene spent the whole week prior to that in preparation. She spent all of her days in meditation and fasting, drinking water and eating only small pieces from the last remaining apple, eaten because she felt her time of repose to be near. As soon as she ate the first fragment all enmity disappeared from the monastery, and the monastery was filled with fragrance from the apple. In a moment of doubt Irene cried out with great anguish. The sisterhood ran to her, and Irene recovered her composure, saying,

"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."

And so, after her last instructions and nominating the next abbess of Chrysovalantou, she raised her hands and eyes to the heavens and prayed:

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, the Good Shepherd who has saved and fed us with Your own most precious Blood, I deliver in Your Holy Hands this little flock. Hide it under the shadow of Your wings (Psalm 90), protect it from the wiles of the devil for Yours is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory and to You we give thanks for ever and ever."

After she finished this prayer she sat up and smiled at the sight of the angels who greeted her, and her face was radiant. She closed her eyes and fell asleep in the Lord.

Funeral

At the all-night vigil, there were so many people—rich and poor—that the monastery gates had to be closed by force. The next day, at the funeral, the even larger congregation was amazed at the beauty of Irene, who was over 102 years old. Throughout the funeral and burial there was an unexplainable and indescribable fragrance filling the monastery.

St. Irene the Wonder-worker

Countless miracles surround St. Irene. First of these was the fragrance, 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

In 1930, many people witnessed the Saint digging the foundations for the convent that was then built in her memory. It is a fine and beautiful example of Byzantine architecture.

Hymns

Apolytikion in the Plagal of Tone One (Tone 5)

modeled on 'Ton Synarnarhon Logon (Co-eternal with the Father)'

Not a temporal kingdom on earth didst thou obtain,

but Christ, thy most comely Bridegroom, vouchsafed thee heavenly crowns,

and thou reignest as a queen with Him eternally;

for thou didst dedicate thyself unto Him with all thy soul,

O Irene, our righteous Mother,

thou boast of Chrysovalantou, and mighty help of all the Orthodox.

Kontakion in Tone Three

modeled on 'I Parthenou Simeron (Today the Virgin)'

Leaving all the world behind with its impermanent glory,

thou wast wedded unto Christ, the King immortal and holy,

bringing Him as precious dowry thy maiden beauty

and thy trophies won through abstinence over demons.

O Irene, our righteous Mother, entreat thy Bridegroom to show His mercy to us.

External links and sources

• St. Irene Chrysovolantou (OCA)
• The Life Of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou translated by Mother Xenia in Jerusalem, compiled by Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes
• Our Holy Mother Irene, Most Gracious Abbess of the Sacred Monastery of Chrysovalantou
• Irene the Righteous of Chrysovalantou (GOARCH)
• Icon of St. Irene of Chrysovolantos
• Απολυτίκιον Αγίας Ειρήνης Χρυσοβαλάντου