On her journey to Constantinople to marry Emperor Michael (son of St Theodora the
Empress) St Irene sought the blessing of St Ioannikos near Mt Olympos. The
hermit, with the gift of foresight, knew she was coming and told her that she
would instead join the convent of Chrysovalantou. By the time she reached the
city the king had married – St Irene was overjoyed.
Impressed by the convent’s
atmosphere and way of life she freed her slaves, gave her inherited wealth and
dowry to the poor and entered the convert wearing a habit of sackcloth. She served the community performing the most
lowly and despised tasks. The abbess noticed how St Irene followed Christ’s
words (John 15:5) and was admired for her obedience,
humility, love and enthusiasm.
St Irene exceeded greatly in
her ascetical labours and suffered many attacks from demons. Yet, still a
novice, she attained the practice of St
Arsenius the Great (May 8) of praying whilst standing still all night-long with
arms stretched out towards Heaven – sometimes standing for days!
Upon the death of the current
abbess, many miracles happened which lead to St Irene to be chosen as the next
abbess. St Irene redoubled her spiritual exercises after commanded by God to
lead her community of sisters.
As a wonder-worker St Irene
is responsible for many miracles and signs, a few being:
·
gift of foresight – to correct her sisters and know what trials awaited them;
·
revelation of
Prince Varda’s & Emperor Michael’s death & fall of the empire;
·
the exorcism of a young novice who was
healed by the Theotokos after St Basil appeared to St Irene;
·
destroyed demons who possessed a young man;
·
she appeared in a
vision to the king to save a man
falsely accused.
She is commemorated on 28th July (New Calender).
Handkerchiefs on the Cypress trees
On great feasts it was
customary of St 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 St Irene motionless, in prayer and levitated a metre off the ground, with two cypress trees bent to the ground
before her. After St Irene had finished, she blessed the trees and they
returned to standing upright.
At first the nun thought this
to be a trick of demons. The nun returned the next night and again saw St Irene
absorbed in prayer, levitating and the two cypress tress bent to the ground.
The nun tied handkerchiefs to the
tops of the trees before they went back to their places. The next day when the
other sisters saw the handkerchiefs, they wondered who had put them there. Then
the nun who had witnessed these events revealed what she had seen. St Irene
instructed them to concentrate on their own prayer rule and ordered them not to
relate any miracles until after her repose.
Apples from Paradise
After the feastday of St
Basil, a sailor from Patmos came to tell St Irene how an old man walked on water
towards his boat and gave the sailor three apples which God was sending to the
Patriarch “from His beloved disciple
John.” Then the old man gave three more apples for the abbess of
Chrysovalantou. He told the sailor that if St Irene ate the apples all that her
soul desired would be granted “for this
gift comes from John in Paradise.”
St Irene ate small pieces of
the first apple daily, without any other form of sustenance, for 40 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 nourished.
An angel informed St Irene
that she would be called to the Lord on the day after St Panteleimon's feast.
St Irene prepared by meditating and fasting for a week. She took only a little
water and small pieces of the third apple sent to her by St John. The whole monastery was filled with a heavenly
fragrance, and all hostility disappeared.
After giving instructions for
the next abbess she smiled when she saw the angels who had been sent to receive
her soul. She closed her eyes and surrendered her soul to God. She was 103 years old yet still retained her youthful beauty.
Traditions of St Irene
It is customary to take fresh apples to be blessed at church on
her feastday. These apples can be eaten or dried and kept on reserve when needed.
They can also be given to others as gifts.
Women unable to conceive pray to St Irene and consume these blessed apples. Upon falling pregnant the parents
will name their child Irene in
honour of the Saint or Chrysovalanti/Chrysovalantou.
Church and monasteries
dedicated to St Irene keep some of the dried apple pieces and give them to
people, especially women, who need the saint’s help.
Although not a traditional
custom, one can bake an apple cake or
apple pie to celebrate the saint’s
feastday:
Up-side-down
apple cake
Ingredients
4 apples, peeled and cut into
wedges
150g unsalted butter
200g caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1 tsp natural vanilla extract
1½ cups self-raising flour
½ cup milk
150g unsalted butter
200g caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1 tsp natural vanilla extract
1½ cups self-raising flour
½ cup milk
1.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Fry the apple wedges with 25g butter and 50g sugar
for 5 minutes, until lightly softened. Arrange in the bottom of a lined large
loaf pan and dust with cinnamon.
2.
Beat the
remaining butter and sugar until light and creamy, then beat in the eggs and
vanilla. Fold in the flour and milk then bake for 40 minutes until a skewer can
be inserted and removed cleanly. Cool briefly then invert to serve.
Our need for St Irene
St Irene is a shining example
of:
·
Faith
·
Humility
·
Love
Those who, in faith, ask for her
prayers will find them answered, especially for women unable to conceive.
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