Irene of Cappadocia

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Saint Irene of Cappadocia (fl. 9th century), also known as Irene the Righteous of Chrysovalantou and Irene of Chrysovolantou, was a Byzantine hegumenia. Her feast day is celebrated on July 28 in the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar.

Life

Saint Irene was born in Cappadocia in the Byzantine Empire to a wealthy family who held posts in the imperial court and were influential in Constantinople. [1] She was considered as a prospective bride for the Emperor Michael III (842–867) due to her beauty and virtue, [2] but chose instead to enter the monastery of Chrysovolantou as a young woman, [3] [4] aged about twenty. [5] Irene had a sister who became the wife Emperor Michael's maternal uncle Bardas (brother of Michael's mother Empress Theodora). [4] [6]

Irene was inspired to join the monastery of Chrysovolantou after receiving the blessing of the hermit Saint Ioannikios the Great, who told her: "welcome servant of God, Irene. Go to the capital and rejoice for the Convent of Chrysovalantou needs you to shepherd her virgins." [4]

Irene was known for her piety and feats of aestheticism and was reputed to have asked to be assigned to clean toilets on her entry to religious life, despite her wealthy background. [3] As a novice, she attained to the practice of Saint Arsenius the Great. [2] She rose to become hegumenia, [3] [7] [8] elevated by the wishes of the previous abbess and Methodius I of Constantinople, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. [9]

During a celebration of the feast day of Saint Basil of Caesarea, Irene heard Basil's voice instructing her to eat the fruit that would be given to her by a sailor. [9] A sailor came and explained that when he was sailing by the Patmos island, Saint John the Evangelist appeared to him, walked over water to his boat and instructed him to gift Irene three apples that would give her a taste of Paradise. [3] She fasted for a week, then ate only the apples for forty days. [9]

Irene was said to have lived until she was aged 101, and had foretold of her death. [3]

Irene's feast day is celebrated on July 28 in the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar. [2] [7] She is patron saint of the Saint Irene of Chrysovalantou Greek Orthodox Church in Washington Township, Macomb County, Michigan, United States. [10]

References

  1. ↑ Cooper, Eric; Decker, Michael J. (2012-07-24). Life and Society in Byzantine Cappadocia. Springer. pp. 164–165. ISBN   978-1-137-02964-5.
  2. 1 2 3 "Irene the Righteous of Chrysovalantou". Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Retrieved 2026-01-20.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Ellsberg, Robert (2025-12-18). Blessed Among Us: Day by Day with Saintly Witnesses; Volume 2. Liturgical Press. p. 430. ISBN   979-8-4008-0171-6.
  4. 1 2 3 Vandalov, Sergei (2024-06-14). "The life & miracles of St. Irene of Chrysovalantou". St. Irene Church. Retrieved 2026-01-20.
  5. ↑ Teteriatnikov, Natalia B. (1996). The Liturgical Planning of Byzantine Churches in Cappadocia. Pontificio Istituto Orientale. p. 191. ISBN   978-88-7210-312-8.
  6. ↑ Jahrbuch der österreichischen Byzantinistik (in German). Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. 1999. p. 55. ISBN   978-3-7001-2804-5.
  7. 1 2 "Feast of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou". Orthodox Times. 2022-07-28. Retrieved 2026-01-20.
  8. ↑ Rosenqvist, Jan Olof (1986). The Life of St. Irene, Abbess of Chrysobalanton: A Critical Edition with Introduction, Translation, Notes and Indices. Uppsala University. ISBN   978-91-554-1935-6.
  9. 1 2 3 "Saint Irene the Righteous of Chrysovalantou (28 July)". Vema. 2025-07-28. Retrieved 2026-01-20.
  10. ↑ "Our Patron Saint". St. Irene Church. Retrieved 2026-01-20.
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