{{Short description|Church benefactor or church warden in Orthodox Christianity}} [[File:Stefan Decanski ktitor.jpg|150px|thumb|right|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''''' ({{langx|el|κτήτωρ}}) or '''''ktitor''''' ({{cyrl|ктитор}}; {{lang-ka|ქტიტორი}} {{Lang|ka-latn|kt’it’ori}}; {{langx|ro|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 {{Lang|el-latn|ktetorissa}} ({{langx|el|κτητόρισσα}}) or ''ktitoritsa'' ({{cyrl|ктиторица}}).
The donator or renovator of churches are known as "second ktetor" or "new ktetor" ({{langx|sr|Други ктитор, нови ктитор}}).
==History== {{Expand language|topic=|langcode=sr|otherarticle=Ктиторство српских владара|date=August 2025}} The Serbian Nemanjić dynasty were ktetors to many monasteries and churches, including the "Medieval Monuments in Kosovo" inscribed as World Heritage. ==Notable people== {{expand list|date=July 2025}} * Saint Sava, Serbian Archbishop (1219–35), founded Hilandar and reconstructed Karakallou, Xeropotamou, and Philotheou at Mount Athos.{{sfn|Mileusnić|2000|p=42}} * 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.
==Sources== * {{cite book|last=Mileusnić|first=Slobodan|editor=<!--Kolundžija, Zoran-->|year=2000|orig-year=1989|title=Sveti Srbi|issue=2|publisher=Prometej|location=Novi Sad|isbn=8676394784|oclc=44601641|language=sr}} * {{Cite book|last=Thomas|first=John P.|title=Private Religious Foundations in the Byzantine Empire|year=1987|location=Washington, D.C.|publisher=Dumbarton Oaks|isbn=9780884021643|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jCAl9udu8IwC}} * {{cite book|author=Geoffrey Wainwright|title=The Oxford History of Christian Worship|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h5VQUdZhx1gC&pg=PA287|year=2006|publisher=Oxford University Press, USA|isbn=978-0-19-513886-3|pages=287–}}
==Further reading== * {{cite journal|last=Marković|first=Vasilije|title=Ктитори, њихове дужности и права|trans-title=Les ktitores, leurs droits et leurs devoirs|journal=Прилози за књижевност, језик, историју �� фолклор|volume=5|year=1925|pp=100-124}} * {{cite journal|last=Ivanović|first=Miloš|title=Заборављени ктитори у средњовековној Србији|journal=Иницијал. Часопис за средњовековне студије|volume=6|year=2018|pp=47-72}} * {{cite journal|last=Pavlović|first=Dragana|title=Ктитор; Ктиторски портрет (композиција)|journal=Речник појмова ликовних уметности и архитектуре|volume=2|publisher=|year=2020|pp=621-623}}
{{Commonscat|Ktetors}}
Category:History of Eastern Orthodoxy Category:Philanthropy Category:Ktetors Category:Culture of the Byzantine Empire Category:Greek words and phrases