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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 [[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]]
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.
==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://www.serfes.org/lives/stirene.htm The Life Of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou] translated by Mother Xenia in Jerusalem, compiled by [[Archimandrite]] Nektarios Serfes
*[http://www.stirene.org/StIreneChrysovalantou/StIreneChrysovalantou_index.htm Our Holy Mother Irene, Most Gracious Abbess of the Sacred Monastery of Chrysovalantou]
*[httphttps://www.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:Monastics]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:Greek Saints]]
[[Category:Wonderworkers]]
[[Category:9th-century saints]]
[[ro:Irina (din Hrisovalant)]]
