Ktetor

Ktetor(Greek:κτήτωρ) orktitor(Cyrillic:ктитор;Georgian:ქტიტორიkt’it’ori;Romanian:ctitor), meaning 'founder', is a title given in the Middle Ages to the provider of funds for construction or reconstruction of anEastern Orthodoxchurchormonastery,for the addition oficons,frescos,and other works of art. It was used in theByzantinesphere. ACatholicequivalent of the term isdonator.At the time of founding, the ktetor often issuedtypika,and was illustrated onfrescoes( "ktetor portrait" ). The female form isktetorissa(Greek:κτητόρισσα) orktitoritsa(Cyrillic:ктиторица).

Fresco of Serbian kingStefan DečanskiatVisoki Dečani monasteryholding a small monastery in his hands; this signifies that he is the ktitor of the monastery.

Sources

• Thomas, John P. (1987).Private Religious Foundations in the Byzantine Empire.Washington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks.ISBN9780884021643.
• Geoffrey Wainwright (2006).The Oxford History of Christian Worship.Oxford University Press, USA. pp. 287–.ISBN978-0-19-513886-3.