Translation of the Relics of the Great Martyr Theodore the Recruit
The Great Martyr Theodore the Recruit
The Holy Great Martyr Theodore the
Recruit (Tyro) was a soldier in the city of Alasium of the Pontine
district (northeast province of Asia Minor, stretching along the
coast of the Euxine, i.e. the Black Sea), under the command of a
certain Brincus. They commanded him to offer sacrifice to idols. St
Theodore firmly confessed his faith in Christ the Savior in a loud
voice. The commander gave him several days to think it over, during
which time St Theodore prayed.
They charged him with setting a pagan
temple on fire, and threw him into prison to be starved to death. The
Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him there, comforting and encouraging
him. Brought to the governor, St Theodore boldly and fearlessly
confessed his faith, for which he was subjected to new torments and
condemned to burning. The martyr Theodore climbed onto the fire
without hesitation, and with prayer and gave up his holy soul to God.
This occurred in about the year 306
under the Roman emperor Galerius (305-311). Unharmed by the fire, the
body of St Theodore was buried in the city of Euchaita, not far from
Amasium. His relics were afterwards transferred to Constantinople, to
a church dedicated to him. His head is in Italy, in the city of
Gaeto.
Later on, fifty years after the death
of St Theodore, the emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363), wanting to
commit an outrage upon the Christians, commanded the city-commander
of Constantinople during the first week of Great Lent to sprinkle all
the food provisions in the marketplaces with the blood offered to
idols. St Theodore appeared in a dream to Archbishop Eudoxius,
ordering him to inform all the Christians that no one should buy
anything at the marketplaces, but rather to eat cooked wheat with
honey (kolyva).
We pray to St Theodore for the recovery
of stolen articles.
No comments:
Post a Comment