Ktetor

File:Stefan Decanski ktitor.jpg

Fresco of Serbian king Stefan Dečanski at Visoki Dečani monastery, in Kosovo, holding a small monastery in his hands; this signifies that he is the ktetor of the monastery.

Ktetor (Greek: κτήτωρ) or ktitor (Cyrillic: ктитор; Georgian: ქტიტორი kt’it’ori; Romanian: ctitor), meaning 'founder', is a title given in the Middle Ages in the Byzantine sphere to the provider of funds for construction or reconstruction of an Eastern Orthodox church or monastery, for the addition of icons, frescos, and other works of art. The Catholic equivalent of the term is donator. At the time of founding, the ktetor often issued typika, and was illustrated on frescoes ("ktetor portrait"). The female form is ktetorissa (Greek: κτητόρισσα) or ktitoritsa (Cyrillic: ктиторица).

The donator or renovator of churches are known as "second ktetor" or "new ktetor" (Serbian: Други ктитор, нови ктитор).

History

The Serbian Nemanjić dynasty were ktetors to many monasteries and churches, including the "Medieval Monuments in Kosovo" inscribed as World Heritage.

Notable people

• Saint Sava, Serbian Archbishop (1219–35), founded Hilandar and reconstructed Karakallou, Xeropotamou, and Philotheou at Mount Athos.
• Andronikos II Palaiologos, Byzantine emperor (r. 1282–1328), founded the monasteries of Ardenica and reconstructed the destroyed Zograf.
• Stefan Dušan, Serbian king and emperor (r. 1331–55), founded the monasteries of the Holy Archangels, Podlastva, Duljevo and reconstructed Visoki Dečani.