{"product_id":"saint-hypomoni-helena-dragas-icon-byzantine-empress-nun-mother-of-emperors-orthodox-icon","title":"Saint Hypomoni (Helena Dragaš) Icon — Byzantine Empress-Nun, Mother of Emperors | Orthodox Icon","description":"\u003ch2\u003eIcon of Saint Hypomoni (Helena Dragaš) last empresses of Byzantium\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSaint Hypomoni, born Helena Dragaš, was a Serbian princess who became one of the last empresses of Byzantium, the wife of Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos and mother of the empire's final two rulers, John VIII Palaiologos and Constantine XI Palaiologos. Following her husband's death in 1425, she withdrew from public life and embraced the monastic vocation, taking the name Hypomone, meaning \"patience\" or \"endurance\" — a name that would come to define her legacy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen her eldest son John VIII died in 1448, the succession was contested between Constantine, his chosen heir, and his younger, more ambitious brother Demetrios. As empress dowager, Helena firmly supported Constantine's claim, assuming the regency in Constantinople during the dispute and using her influence to help secure his path to the throne. So close was the bond between mother and son that upon his coronation, Constantine took her family name for his own, becoming known as Constantine XI Dragases Palaiologos.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer sainthood honors not only her personal piety but also her charitable works and her steadfast defense of Orthodox doctrine during a time of intense pressure toward union with the Roman Church.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe died in Constantinople in 1450, three years before the city's fall, and was later canonized by the Orthodox Church, with her feast day observed on May 29 — the very date on which Constantinople fell to the Ottomans and her son Constantine XI died defending it. Her life stands as a lasting image of how patience, faith, and quiet charity can sustain even an empire through its final, darkest years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer feast day is celebrated on May 29.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e🖼 Product Features\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach icon in our workshop is made to last a lifetime and beyond. The image is printed with rich, fade-resistant pigment inks on a premium solid-core wood panel — then hand-finished with a natural beeswax coating that deepens the colors, protects the surface, and gives each piece the warm, reverent quality of a traditionally crafted sacred object. A metal hanging hook is included on the back, so your icon is ready to display the moment it arrives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCrafted on a premium wood panel — 1.6 cm (0.6\") thick, sturdy yet lightweight\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFade-resistant pigment print — rich, true-to-life colors that last for generations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural beeswax finish — hand-applied for depth, protection, and a traditional feel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReady to hang — metal hook pre-attached on the reverse\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-finished by Orthodox Christian artisans in Portugal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e📏 Available Sizes\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e• Small – 12 x 15 cm (5” x 6”)\u003cbr\u003e• Medium – 23 x 30 cm (9” x 12”)\u003cbr\u003e• Large – 30 x 39 cm (12” x 15”)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e🎁 Perfect For\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e• Meaningful Orthodox Christian gifts\u003cbr\u003e• Housewarming and family blessings\u003cbr\u003e• Prayer corners and devotional spaces\u003cbr\u003e• Baptisms, name days, weddings, and feast days\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e🌍 Worldwide Delivery\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecurely packed and shipped worldwide from Portugal with tracking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✨ Crafted with Tradition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach icon is carefully made by Orthodox Christian artisans in Portugal — created to become a lasting blessing for your home or a treasured gift for someone you love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Icons of Saints","offers":[{"title":"12x15 cm (5”x6”)","offer_id":53314130018587,"sku":null,"price":85.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"23x30 cm (9\"x12\")","offer_id":53314130051355,"sku":null,"price":153.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"30x39 cm (12\"x15\")","offer_id":53314130084123,"sku":null,"price":198.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0728\/3805\/4171\/files\/Saint_Hypomoni_Helena_Dragas.jpg?v=1786959819","url":"https:\/\/iconsofsaints.com\/products\/saint-hypomoni-helena-dragas-icon-byzantine-empress-nun-mother-of-emperors-orthodox-icon","provider":"iconsofsaints.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}