Icon Painter, Irenaeus Protcenco

Ecce Homo

Transfiguration

The Lament Of The Theotokos

Archangel Gabriel

Archangel Michael

Irineu Protcenco was born in 1888, in Nova Pavlenko village, modern-day Ukraine, and fell asleep in The Lord in 1953, at Sihastria Monastery, Romania. He is the painter of Saints Joachim and Anna chapel (in the yard of Sihastria Monastery). He was a perfected icon painter, his icons being unique up to this day. It is an extraordinary thing, if we take into account that he only had one healthy eye, having lost the other one during The First World War, in an accident that, we, humans, would be tempted to consider stupid, but let us not forget that God allowed it to happen: as another soldier was dusting his clothes off, a piece of glass flew away and sectioned his iris.

Before he would paint a saint, he studied his/her life thoroughly. He would paint during the first half of the day, and fast totally and not speak with anybody during that period. Even when Saint Paisius Olaru went up the scaffolding to admire his paintings, he was told: "If you come, I go", causing Fr. Paisie to leave quickly and ask forgiveness. After he ate, he would not paint at all, but would do something else (such as mix his colors). He was made a monk not long before his death, at Sihastria Monastery, where he lived during 1947-1953. In the album, "Paraclisul Sfintilor Ioanchim si Ana" (from "editura Sihastria"), you can find out more details about his life, as well as see the wonderful painting with which he adorned the chapel.        

-Selection and translation by Ioan (John) Calineac.