The name Fedor in the Orthodox calendar (Saints). Saints Theodore Stratelates and Theodore Tyrone Icon of Theodore Stratelates with Life

In the temple of St. Eustathius, the relics of two famous warrior-martyrs are also buried - St. Theodore Tyrone and St. Theodore Stratilates (Warrior).
During the persecution of Christians under Emperor Maximian (286 - 305) in the Pontic city of Amasea (the territory of the north of modern Turkey), Saint Theodore Tyrone, who at that time was a soldier in the Roman army, was demanded to renounce the Christian faith and sacrifice to idols. He refused to do this, after which he was thrown into prison and subjected to severe torture. During his imprisonment, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him, strengthening and comforting the sufferer. He was eventually sentenced to death and burned alive in 305. First he was buried in Euchaite, later the relics were transferred to Constantinople and placed in a church dedicated to him. The head of Saint Theodore Tiron is located in the town of Gaeta in Italy.

About fifty years after his death, the saint performed the miracle that is best known to the Orthodox. During the reign of Emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363), the ruler of Constantinople decided to trick Christians into participating in pagan festivals, and during the first week of Lent, he ordered food sold in the market to be sprinkled with the blood of animals that had been sacrificed to the pagan gods. Saint Theodore appeared in a dream to Archbishop Eudoxius, told about the ruler’s intentions and asked him to tell Christians not to buy defiled food, but instead to prepare kolivo (boiled wheat with honey). Thus, Christians avoided desecration, and every year on the first Saturday of Great Lent the memory of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore is celebrated - a prayer service is served, believers eat kolivo in memory of his intercession.

Saint Theodore Stratelates was a Roman military commander in the army of Emperor Licinius (312 - 324) and military ruler of the city of Heraclea. His service, both military and as a mayor, was very worthy, and Licinius, wishing to honor him publicly, invited him to a pagan festival that was to take place in Nicomedia. Theodore realized that the hour had come when he would have to publicly refuse to bow to the pagan gods and give praise to Christ. The emperor's servants delivered golden idols to the festival site, but Saint Theodore ordered his soldiers to break the idols even before the celebrations began and distribute the fragments to the poor. When this act became known to the emperor, he enragedly called Theodore to him, and Theodore spoke to him about Christ. Licinius sentenced him to death. The saint was scourged and received more than a thousand blows. After this he was crucified and pierced with arrows. During his suffering, he continuously praised God. To the bewilderment of the executioners, he remained alive and died only after being beheaded with a sword on February 8, 319. After Constantine's victory over Licinius and his accession to the throne of the Emperor, the relics of Saint Theodore were transferred from Euchaita (he was buried there next to Saint Theodore Tyrone) to Constantinople and subsequently placed in the famous church in Blachernae. They pray to him as the patron saint of the Orthodox army.

Saint George the New Martyr of Neapolis

The relics of St. George are also located in the Church of St. Eustathius. He lived in the 18th century in the Asia Minor city of Neapolis and was a hieromonk. During the Oryol Uprising of 1770 (a failed attempt to achieve Greek independence during the Russo-Turkish War), Turkish shepherds, dissatisfied with the uprising and irritated by the fact that a priest, that is, the head of the local Christian community, was nearby, killed him when he went to a neighboring village to serve liturgy. They stabbed him with a dagger and threw his body into a field. A few days after his death, he appeared to his family and told them where to look for his remains. After these events, miracles occurred through prayers at his relics.

Temple of the Assumption (Saints Eleutherius and Anthia)

In the Church of the Assumption in the Nea Ionia area there are the relics of the holy martyr Eleutherius, who in the 2nd century suffered a martyr’s death along with his mother Anthia. This Illyrian hierarch of the early Church suffered under the Roman Emperor Hadrian (117 - 138). As stated in the traditional Life, the saint was born in Rome, where his father occupied a high position at court. After the early death of his father, mother Eleutheria Anthia, together with her little son, secretly joined the growing Christian community, helping financially a small group of disciples of the Holy Apostle Paul. According to one legend, she was baptized by the Apostle himself as a girl. One day, Bishop of Rome Anacletus (76 - 88, the third bishop of Rome after Peter and Linus) noticed the piety and nobility of the young man’s manners and decided to help him receive upbringing and education. At the age of fifteen, the young man became a deacon, at seventeen a priest, and at twenty a bishop. After his ordination to the episcopate, he went to shepherd the flock of Christ in Avlona (or Valona, ​​which is now called Vlor and is located in the territory of modern Albania). Anthia went there with him. Soon, news of the young miracle-working bishop spread throughout Illyria and Epirus (now northern Greece), and so great was his fame that the Roman authorities became worried and began to put obstacles in his way. He was eventually taken into custody by order of Emperor Hadrian.

One of the centurions who came to take him entered the temple at the moment when Eleutherius was delivering a sermon. After listening to the sermon, this centurion (his name was Felix) wished to become a Christian and asked to be baptized. He was baptized, and then, at the insistence of Eleutherius himself, he carried out the order - he brought the bishop to Rome. Eleutherius was subjected to torture, which was observed by the local ruler Horibus. Seeing that the Saint remained unharmed after being immersed in boiling oil, tortured on a hot iron grid, scourged and being in a burning oven, the ruler also accepted Christianity. Bishop Eleutherius, centurion Felix, governor Choribus and several other people converted by Eleutherius were beheaded. The bishop's mother Anthia stood over her son's body in prayer. She was captured and her head was also cut off. This happened in 120 AD. It is believed that the holy relics of the mother and son were transported to Avlona by his followers. The Romans still celebrate their feast day on April 18, traditionally considered the day of their martyrdom. The Orthodox service in their honor is held on December 15: on this day in Constantinople, under the Emperor Arcadius (395 - 408), the Church of Saints Eleutherius and Anthia was consecrated.

A particle of the relics of the holy martyr Eleutherius is still available in the Italian town of Reati, where a large Greek community traditionally lived; and the Church of the Assumption in Nea Ionia in Athens is the main place where pilgrims from all over the Orthodox East come to venerate this Saint. They say that in Avlon (now the Albanian town of Vlori) a particle of his relics also still remains, and that miracles still happen through the prayers of the saint. Unfortunately, the location of the relics of the martyr Anthia is unknown, although it is quite possible that there is a particle of them in Vlori.

When the Parthenon, formerly the Cathedral of Our Lady of Atheniogassos, was converted into a Catholic church by French invaders in the 12th century, one small church in honor of St. Eleutherius was consecrated as the Orthodox Cathedral of Athens and continued to serve this function, and services continued under the Turks. Among other things, in this church the ordination of St. Dionysius from Zakynthos to the rank of bishop took place. It still stands on this site, although it seems tiny compared to the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Metropolitan Cathedral built in the 19th century, which houses the relics of St. Philothea of ​​Athens and Patriarch Gregory V.

Saints Eleutherius and Anthia are considered the patrons of pregnant women and women in labor. In addition, they pray to Saint Eleutherius for the captives, and to both of these saints for protection from the intervention of demonic forces. The name Eleutherius means "freedom", and therefore he was prayed to by independence fighters during the Greek uprising and by the Orthodox Greek Church in Albania under the yoke of communist atheism.
Bishop Eleutherius should not be confused with Eleutherius the Pope (175 -189), who is said to have sent Christian missionaries to England.

Temple of the Holy Martyr Paraskeva the Roman (Prmts. Paraskeva Roman)

The relics of the holy martyr Paraskeva are located in the area of ​​Athens, which is called “Paraskevi”, in a temple dedicated to her name. She was born into a family of noble Romans around 130, during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, when belonging to the Christian Church was considered a crime. The girl’s parents, Agathon and Politaia, were married for many years without children, so they dedicated the child they had in their declining years to the Lord in gratitude to Heaven. They called for skilled mentors to raise and educate their daughter, and, inspired by the good example of her parents, after their death, she distributed her inheritance to the poor. At the age of twenty, she entered the monastery of Christian virgins - a kind of future monasteries - where she devoted herself to serving God. Having succeeded sufficiently in spiritual life, she left the community and began to preach on the streets of Rome.

Paraskeva was so filled with God’s grace and so burning in spirit that, according to hagiographers, many people turned to Christ simply by hearing her sermon. It is clear that she was a strong personality and influenced many, since the Roman authorities pursued her with indefatigable energy. She managed to escape persecution only by moving to Asia Minor, where she continued to preach in what is now Turkey. Finally, she was captured in Therapia by the soldiers of Emperor Anthony Pius (138 - 61). She was accused not only of insulting the gods, but also of the fact that it was she who became the cause of all the misfortunes that happened to the empire in those days!

Paraskeva was brought to trial before Emperor Anthony, who first tried to persuade her to renounce her faith, and when she refused, he ordered her to be imprisoned and tortured. Daily torture was ineffective, every morning the guards again and again found her in good health, without any signs of torture, on the contrary, she was cheerful and cheerful, as if nothing had happened. Seeing this, the ruler ordered her to be thrown into a cauldron with boiling resin, oil and water. Before his eyes, she was immersed in this boiling mixture up to her neck, but she behaved as if this liquid was barely warm. He thought that it was all his soldiers’ fault, their careless attitude to work, and began to scold them. He demanded that Paraskeva splash some of the mixture on him. She obeyed and splashed her palm at him. The boiling tar and oil blinded him. He began to beg her for help, promising to become a Christian if she restored his sight. She left the cauldron, went to the nearest source and, after praying, washed his eyes with spring water. His vision returned to him, after which he, as promised, was baptized and stopped the persecution.

Paraskeva returned to her apostolic activities, but during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, the successor of Emperor Anthony, she was again taken into custody and this time beheaded by order of the heir to the throne, Tarasius, on July 26, 180. Later, her relics were transferred to Constantinople, and during the Exchange of Populations in 1922, part of them ended up in Athens.

Pendeli Monastery (St. Timothy of Pendeli)

Timothy was born in the middle of the 16th century in the town of Kalamos in the family of a cleric and was educated in Athens under the patronage of Bishop Oropov. He accepted the priesthood, and after the death of his benefactor became his successor in the episcopal see. Then he was appointed archbishop of Euripos (Chalkis) and reorganized the metropolitanate of Chalkis. A virtuous man, an energetic, brilliant figure, by 1565 he became a guiding star for local Christians on the path to salvation. At that time, the notorious Sultan Selim II (1566 - 1574) sat on the Turkish throne, and many churches in Constantinople were confiscated for mosques. Khoka Sadddin, the teacher of Selim II's son Murad III, boasted that "those churches that were within the city [of Constantinople] were freed from vile idols, from the filth of idolatrous impurities, and after the faces were erased from their images, and in themselves Muslim prayers and sermons began to sound in temples; many monasteries and chapels were the envy of the Gardens of Eden." This attitude towards churches was prevalent, and therefore in Khalkis, most likely, there was also a constant threat of confiscation of churches. Focusing on the anti-Christian policy of Constantinople and fearing the growing popularity and influence of the Archbishop, the Pasha of Khalkis in 1570 ordered Timothy to be taken into custody, but Nurbana, the beloved wife from Selim's harem, the mother of his son and heir Murad III, ordered to secretly warn the Archbishop, and he fled together with his deacon and several priests to Mount Pendeli, near Athens.

Mount Pendeli is located 20 kilometers from the center of Athens and has a height of 430 meters. For centuries it gave shelter to ascetic hermits who lived here in caves and small monasteries. In such a place, Timothy could be just one of the many monks there. As one author writes, “sometimes monks had to live side by side with thieves, but the thieves did not bother them, because, firstly, they had nothing to steal, and, secondly, the thieves saw their piety and holy life. Some of these the criminals even repented and became monks themselves.” On Mount Pendeli there was a monastery of St. George Kikinaris, St. John of the Quarries, Holy Archangels, St. Petra and Davela Cave.

Coming to Mount Pendeli for the first time, Saint Timothy settled near the small Church of the Holy Trinity, the building of which today is a monastery chapel. Then he went down a little lower and began to live on the site of an ancient abandoned monastery. There, under one of the olive trees, he found an icon of the Mother of God and took it as a sign from above, indicating the need to revive the ancient monastery. From the day of its foundation, this monastery was under the protection of a firman issued on behalf of the Sultan and his successors (more lenient than Selim), although local rulers sometimes (for example, in 1688 - 1690) ignored the firman, turning a blind eye to the plunder of the monastery. After 1821, the Pendeli monastery, which was previously stauropegial (that is, subordinate directly to the Patriarch of Constantinople), came under the jurisdiction of the Athens diocese. Unfortunately, the icon of the Mother of God, carefully preserved since the day it was found by St. Timothy in 1570, was stolen in 1966 and has not been found since then.
The restoration and construction of the monastery buildings was completed in 1578, after which it was consecrated in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God. People who wanted to live an ordinary monastic life began to come to the monastery, and Saint Timothy moved to the church of St. George Gargetos not far from there, and then even further, to another church of St. George in Vravona. There, a Turkish woman who converted to Christianity donated some land to St. Timothy after he saved her children from pirates. As stated in the chronicles of the Pendeli Monastery, local Turks and other neighbors were unhappy with the fact of the donation. It seems that in addition to this, there were also tensions between St. Timothy and St. Philotheus, because, as one local historian writes, wanting to settle the issue of the donated land and “put an end to the disagreements between himself and St. Philothea, St. Timothy retired to the island of Kea (Zia) and built there the monastery of St. Great Martyr Panteleimon.” For some time he lived on this island in a cave, near which to this day a wonderful spring associated with his name appears from time to time. He rested on the island of Kea on August 16, 1590, a year and a half after the death of St. Filofei.

Of the relics of Saint Timothy, only the head has survived. It is kept in the chapel of St. Timothy, which is located to the left of the Church of the Assumption, in the courtyard. The head exudes a subtle fragrance. Through the intercession of Saint Timothy, many miracles took place. Twice the Athenians were saved from plague and cholera epidemics after a religious procession with his relics.

During the Turkish yoke, the Pendeli monastery set up a school in its caves for the children of the rebels. After the declaration of Greek independence in 1821, it served as a regular public school until 1920. Pendeli monks actively participated in the War of Independence of 1821. Twenty-two of them took part in the “Battle of Small Bridges”, as well as in the siege of the Acropolis, where the abbot of the monastery was wounded.

Both the monastery and the cave in which the school was located are open to visitors. There is also a small museum in the cave.

Temple of Agia Dynamis

The 17th-century chapel of Ayia Dinamis (Holy Power), located on the corner of Pendeli and Metropolis streets in the southwestern part, is associated with the Pendeli Monastery and the 1821 War of Independence. During the Turkish yoke, many valuable items of church utensils and monastery archives were hidden in the underground passage under the temple of Ayia Dynamis. Unfortunately, the Turks discovered and plundered this cache. Later, with the approval of the Turkish ruler Ali Haseki (1775 - 1795), the parish of the monastery participated in the production of gunpowder and bullets for the defenders of Athens. In the 19th century, ammunition was smuggled through the underground passage under the temple of Ayia Dynamis for Greek rebels. On the night of April 25, 1821, the rebels, including the Pendeli monks, began a siege of the Acropolis - the fleeing Turks hid there. The monks even offered their books and archives for the manufacture of wads, which were used to stuff the barrels of guns and guns in battle.

Byzantine Museum

The Byzantine Museum is located in a beautiful Florentine-style building near Syntagma Square. It houses an extensive and beautiful collection of Christian art from the 4th to 19th centuries. Among the museum's exhibits are icons from all periods of the Byzantine era, examples of early Byzantine sculpture, and even one small early Christian basilica. There are also relief images (bronze, gold and silver), as well as well-preserved mosaics and frescoes.

Rizarios Old Church School (St. Nektarios of Aegina)

Not far from the Byzantine Museum is the old church school of Rizarios, which was headed by St. Nektarios of Aegina from 1894 to 1908. This building now houses the school's administrative offices; the school itself moved to the Halandri area. This church school is one of many in Greece where boys 12-18 years old can receive an Orthodox education and study church subjects in addition to secular school subjects. Many students here prepare to enter religious educational institutions and to be ordained. Next to the administrative building of the school there is the Church of St. George, built in 1834, in which St. Nektarios celebrated liturgy for many years. Some of his personal belongings and a portion of his relics are kept in this church. The church is open daily.

Mount Himettus and Kessariani Monastery

Mount Himettus is only a twenty-minute bus ride from the center of Athens, but peace and cleanliness reign here, so dear to the heart of a pilgrim exhausted by city noise and dust. The forested mountainside gives a vivid picture of the appearance of Athens throughout its history. Back in the forties and fifties of the 20th century, shepherds with pipes, as in ancient times, grazed their flocks here. Bees still hover here, collecting nectar from thyme inflorescences. The Athenians call any honey "hymettus", but the most aromatic and delicious is that taken from the hives on the slope of this mountain.

The Kessariani Monastery, dedicated to the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was built in the 11th century on the site of the ancient temple of Apollo, which in later times of the classical era was the temple of the goddess Aphrodite. The church has preserved Ionic columns and the floor of that time, which organically fit into the appearance of the monastery. The monastery of Kessariani is perfectly preserved. This is a Byzantine era monastery in its purest form, without any significant changes; Even the Catholicon (main church, cathedral) of the 11th century has been preserved. The cathedral is made in the shape of a cross and is topped with a dome standing on four columns. The dome is decorated with an icon of Christ Pantocrator, the walls of the apse are painted with frescoes depicting the Divine Liturgy. The arch of the northern facade is a striking example of the excellent art of Byzantine masons. The narthex and nave are decorated with 17th-century frescoes by the famous icon painter Ioannis Hypatios. The customer of these frescoes was Nicholas Benizelos (one of the members of the Benizelos family into which Saint Philothea was born a century earlier). Adjacent to the cathedral is a small chapel of St. Anthony.

The monastery buildings are located around a courtyard. The cathedral is located in the eastern part, the refectory and kitchen are in the western, and in the southern part there is a bathhouse (previously it was an oil press), which was adjacent to a two-story building with monastic cells. In all likelihood, the monastery reached its peak in the 13th century, although even during the Turkish yoke it was known as a center of spiritual enlightenment and learning. Unfortunately, these days Kessariani is only a museum. Despite this, the beauty of its buildings, preserved with such care, and the surrounding nature - a mountain slope covered with forests and flowers - radiate peace and tranquility, testifying to the centuries-old presence of prayer monks.

Saint Theodore Stratilates (+ in 319)- great martyr. St. Theodore was born at the end of the 3rd century after the Nativity of Christ in the village of Euchaites (now the town of Mesitesya, Turkey), not far (55 kilometers, one day's walk away) from the city of Amasia, in the Roman province of Pontus, Asia Minor. The Byzantine church writer of the second half of the 9th century, Nikita the Paphlagonian, in his work “Praise to St. Theodore,” calls Theodore Stratelates the nephew of St. Theodore Tyrone. If this statement is true, then St. Theodore Stratelates was the nephew of St. martyrs Eutropius and Cleonikos (presumably, maternal half-brothers of St. Theodore Tyrone) and a cousin (or full) brother of the Holy Martyr Basilisk of Comana (his memory is celebrated on March 3 and May 22 of the Art. Art.). The nickname Stratelates (Greek στρατηλατον) means military leader, governor (literally translated, a tall warrior) and indicates his belonging to the command staff of the Roman army.

Saint Theodore was endowed by the Lord with many gifts. He was distinguished from those around him by his natural beauty, generous heart, deep knowledge of Christian truths, wisdom and eloquence - “young in body, but old in the sense of his God-loving deed,” as the author of the Life of St. Theodore put it.

The bravery of St. Theodore Stratelates became widely known after he, like his elder relative St. Theodore Tyrone, defeated a huge, terrible serpent that lived in an abyss in the vicinity of Euchaitis. This snake was huge and scary. As he walked, the ground shook beneath him. The monster devoured many people and animals, keeping the entire area in fear. Saint Theodore, without saying anything to anyone, taking with him his usual weapon and having a cross on his chest, set off. Having reached a clearing with lush grass, located near the abyss where the serpent lived, the warrior of Christ let his horse graze, and he himself lay down to rest. In these places lived a certain pious wife named Eusevia, advanced in years (some ancient lives of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Tyrone call Eusevia the mother of Theodore Tyrone. According to the apocryphal Life of St. Theodore Tyrone, he saved his mother, who was kidnapped to the underworld by a dragon). Several years before this (or rather in 306), she asked the executioners for the body of the holy martyr Theodore Tyrone, which had not been burned at the stake during the execution, buried him near her house and celebrated his memory every year on the day of his repose on February 17 (March 2 of the new style). Eusevia, seeing the sleeping warrior of Christ Theodore Stratelates, woke him up and tried to convince him to leave these places so as not to suffer from the serpent. The courageous warrior of Christ Theodore answered her: “Get away and stand away from this place, and you will see the power of my Christ.” The woman walked away and began to pray to the Savior to grant victory to the brave warrior. Saint Theodore also turned to the Lord with a prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, who shone forth from the Father’s Being, who helped me in battles and gave victory to the enemy, You are now the same Lord Christ God, send me victory from Your holy height.” Saint Theodore defeated the monster, glorifying the name of Christ among people. Then, according to the Life, he addressed words of support to his faithful horse as a person, convincing him of the omnipotence of God:

We know that God’s authority and power exist in everyone, both in people and in cattle, so help me, with the help of Christ, so that I can overcome the enemy.

When the serpent appeared, Theodore's horse began to trample it with its hooves, and then the monster found its death from the saint's weapon. Glorified by the inhabitants of Euchait, grateful for their salvation, St. Theodore returned to the troops.

For his exploits, St. Theodore was appointed ruler of the city of Heraclea (in the north of Asia Minor, founded, according to legend, by Hercules himself, now Ergil, Zonguldak province, Turkey). Here Saint Theodore combined responsible military service with the apostolic preaching of the Gospel among the pagans subordinate to him. His ardent faith, supported by personal Christian example, turned many away from addictions. As a result, almost all the inhabitants of Heraclea converted to Christianity.

At that time, the eastern part of the Roman Empire was ruled by the pagan emperor Licinius (reign 308 - 324). Initially, he was tolerant of the faith of Christ. Together with St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine I the Great, Licinius was a co-author of the Edict of Milan (313), which granted Christians freedom of religion. But subsequently he initiated persecution of the followers of Christ in the lands under his control, suspecting them of sympathy for his rival, St. Constantine. These persecutions were not inferior in their cruelty to the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian:

« First of all, he expelled all Christians from his palace and thus, unfortunate, he deprived himself of their prayers before God, which, according to the custom and teaching of their ancestors, they offer for everyone. Then he ordered that all warriors who did not sacrifice to the demons be dismissed from service in each city and deprived of their ranks. ... Having reached the limit of madness, he rushed at the bishops, seeing in them, servants of God of all kinds, opponents of his activities. He acted out of fear of Constantine not openly, but secretly and cunningly, and with his machinations he destroyed the most famous. The method of murder was amazing, hitherto unheard of. What was done in Amasia and other cities of Pontus surpassed the most extreme cruelty. There, some churches were destroyed to the ground, and others were locked, so that their ordinary visitors would not be able to gather and perform the service of God... The flatterers from among his governors, wanting to please the wicked, subjected bishops to such punishments as only villains deserve, and innocent men without any investigation were taken into custody and punished as murderers. The end of some of them was hitherto unprecedented: their bodies were cut into many pieces with a sword and after such a barbaric spectacle they were thrown into the depths of the sea to be devoured by fish. After this, the flight of pious people began again, and again the fields sheltered the servants of Christ, and again deserts, forests and mountains" (Eusebius Pamphilus “Ecclesiastical History”).

Knowing the enormous authority that Saint Theodore enjoyed among the inhabitants of his city, the emperor sent his ambassadors to him, inviting him to his place. Licinius hoped to persuade St. Theodore to sacrifice to idols and thereby set an example for his subordinates. But Theodore dismissed the imperial ambassadors with honors and invited Licinius himself. When he arrived in Heraclea, St. Theodore feignedly agreed to fulfill the imperial command and asked to bring the golden imperial idols to his home, promising that at home he would honor them and appease them, and then bow to them in front of all the people. Licinius agreed. However, at night St. Theodore broke the fools into pieces and distributed the gold to the poor. Centurion Maxell reported to the emperor that he saw the head of Aphrodite in the hands of beggars and they mocked the “goddess.”

The angry Licinius called Theodore to him. Having come to the tyrant, the saint confessed to what he had done and openly confessed the faith of Christ. For this, Theodore was subjected to the most severe and sophisticated torture. The torturers beat him with ox sinews and tin rods, tormented his body with nails and burned him with fire. The holy martyr endured all this with great patience and only repeated: “Glory to Thee, our God!” The notary (cursive writer) of St. Theodore Avgar (according to other sources his name was Uar) barely found the strength to describe the torment of his master. After this, the saint was thrown into prison and kept there for five days without food or water, and then the tortured saint was nailed to a cross and his eyes were gouged out. Exhausted in both spirit and body, the sufferer exclaimed: “Lord, Lord, You prophesied to me that You are with me, why have you left me now? Now it's time for help! Help me, since I endure all this suffering for Your sake and out of love for You I endure such torment. Strengthen me, Lord, or take my soul, for I can no longer endure.” Having said this, the martyr fell silent. The torturer Licinius concluded from this silence that the saint had died and, having given the order to leave the body on the cross until the morning, left the place of execution. At midnight an Angel appeared, took the body of the saint from the cross, kissed him and said:

“Rejoice, Theodore, warrior of Christ! Be bold and strengthen yourself in the name of Christ, the True God, He is with you. And why did you say that He left you? Finish your feat and come to the Lord to take the crown prepared for you.”

Having said this, the Angel became invisible, and the saint began to praise and thank God. The soldiers of Licinius, sent by the king to retrieve the body of the martyr, found him alive and completely healthy, sitting at the cross and praising God. Seeing this miracle, many soldiers believed in Christ and immediately received baptism, many of them subsequently suffered for Jesus. An uprising against Licinius began in the city - residents demanded the release of St. Theodore. But the great martyr, not wanting to avoid martyrdom, again voluntarily surrendered himself into the hands of the tormentors. He restrained the rebels with the words: “Stop, beloved! My Lord Jesus Christ, hanging on the cross, restrained the Angels so that they would not take revenge on the family.” Having asked Avgar to describe his last minutes of life, the saint went to execution, and before that, with one word of prayer, he opened the doors of the prison, freeing the prisoners from their bonds. At this time, the sick were healed, and demons were cast out from people. Whoever Theodore touched with his holy hand, or whoever even touched his clothes, immediately received healing.
St. Theodore was beheaded with a sword on February 8, 319, on Saturday, at three o'clock in the afternoon.

Soon after the martyrdom of St. Theodore, the wicked Licinius paid for his atrocities against the servants of Christ. He suffered a crushing defeat from the troops of Constantine the Great, was captured, was exiled to prison in Thessalonica, and was executed in 324.

The people showed great honor to the holy remains of the martyr. On June 8 (21 New Style) June 319, they were solemnly transferred to the saint’s homeland in Euchaites. During the transfer of Theodore's body and already in the city itself, numerous miracles were performed for the glory of Christ. The relics of St. Theodore (probably in the 10th - 11th centuries) were transferred to Constantinople.

During his pilgrimage to the capital of the Byzantine Empire, the Russian pilgrim Anthony of Novgorod saw the relics of St. Theodore in Blachernae: “And at Lacherna, in the church vestments, Saint Theodore Stratilates lies, and his shield and sword are right there.” Nowadays, particles of the saint’s relics are found in various churches in the East and West. Some of the relics (probably after the capture of Constantinople by the crusaders in 1204) ended up in Venice.

Relics of St. Theodore Stratilates in the Church of Christ the Savior in Venice .

The honorable head of the great martyr is located on Mount Athos in the Pantokrator monastery. The left hand of St. Theodore is located in the Greek monastery of Mega Spileon in the Peloponnese.
Reliquaries with particles of the relics of St. Theodore Stratilates were distributed in Holy Rus'. One of them was kept in the sacristy of St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, and in Moscow, particles of the relics were in the Image Chamber and the sacristy of the Annunciation Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin.

The right hand of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Tiron and the left hand of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Stratilates. Mega Spileon Monastery. Peloponnese.

Presumably in 1586, part of the head of the great martyr was brought to Moscow from Athos. For this shrine, in 1598, probably by order of Tsar Boris Feodorovich Godunov, an ark was made. On the lid of the silver ark there is an image of the saint in the type of a martyr - in military armor, with a cross and a sword in his hands. In 1587, another piece of the relics of Theodore Stratilates was delivered to Moscow from Athos, from the Zograf monastery.

After his death, St. Theodore Stratilates was glorified by numerous miracles - through prayers to him, from icons with his image. Saint Anastasius of Sinai, Patriarch of Antioch (599) and Saint John of Damascus (about 780) mention a miracle that occurred in the temple of Theodore Stratilates near Damascus in the town of Karsata in Syria. When these places were captured by the Saracens, the temple was destroyed and subsequently subjected to desecration. The Saracens settled in the building. One day one of them, taking a bow, shot an arrow at the image of St. Theodore painted on the wall. The arrow hit the saint’s right shoulder, and immediately a trickle of living blood flowed down the wall. The wicked were surprised at this, but did not leave the temple. In total, about twenty families lived in the church. After some time, they all died of unknown causes. Pestilence attacked the sacrilege, while their fellow tribesmen who lived outside the temple were not harmed.
However, for some reason, the cult of St. Theodore did not become widespread in the Roman (Byzantine) Empire in the first five centuries after his martyrdom. The name of the Holy Great Martyr began to appear frequently in the works of Byzantine hagiographers (for example, Niketas the Paphlagonian mentioned above) starting from the 9th century. At the same time, the formation of the cult of St. Theodore took place, which absorbed many features of the cult of St. Theodore Tyrone, the alleged uncle of St. Theodore Stratilates.

The widespread glorification of St. Theodore begins in the second half of the 10th century, after one of the greatest miracles performed by the Lord through the prayers of the great martyr. According to information from the “History” of the Byzantine chronicler John Skylitzes and the “History” written by Leo Deacon Kaloisky, the miraculous intercession of St. Theodore Stratelates helped the Orthodox Emperor John Tzimiskes (reigned 969 - 976) in the battle with the pagan Russians under the leadership of the Kyiv prince Svyatoslav in the battle near the city of Dorostol on July 21, 971. This is how Leo the Deacon describes the miracle:

« So, the Rosses...with a loud and wild cry rushed at the Romans, who, frightened by their extraordinary desire, began to retreat. The Emperor, seeing the retreat of the army, fearing that, out of fear of an extreme attack by enemies, it would not be exposed to extreme danger, with a spear in his hand, he bravely went towards them with his detachment. Trumpets thundered and tambourines sounded for battle. The Romans, following the Emperor's wishes, turned their horses and quickly set off against the enemies. A storm with rain that suddenly arose and poured through the air upset the Rosses: for the rising dust harmed their eyes. Then, they say, a certain warrior on a white horse appeared before the Romans and encouraged them to go against their enemies: he miraculously cut and disrupted their ranks. No one saw him in the camp either before or after the battle. The Emperor, wanting to reward him worthily and express due gratitude for his exploits, looked for him everywhere, but could not find him anywhere. After that, the general opinion spread that he was the great martyr Theodore, whom the Emperor prayed to be his assistant in battles, to protect and preserve himself along with the army. They also say that, in accordance with this miracle, the following happened in Byzantium, on the evening before the battle: one girl, who dedicated herself to God, saw in a dream the Mother of God saying to the fiery warriors accompanying her: “Call the martyr Theodore to me” - and they immediately brought the brave armed youth. Then she told him: “Theodore! Your John, fighting with the Scythians, in extreme circumstances; hurry to his aid. If you are late, he will be in danger.” To this he answered: “I am ready to obey the Mother of the Lord my God,” and immediately left. With this, sleep also departed from the maiden’s leaders. Thus her dream came true. The Romans followed this Divine leader and entered into battle with the enemies. As soon as a strong battle began, the Scythians, surrounded by Master Skleros, unable to withstand the rush of the cavalry phalanx, fled, and, pursued to the very wall, ignominiously fell dead on the spot».

The Byzantine author John Skylitzes erroneously reports that the day of the battle, July 21, was the day of remembrance of St. Theodore Stratelates. In fact, on this day, according to the Synaxarion, the memory of the martyrs Theodore and George, who are known only by name, was celebrated. Apparently, only after the victory over Svyatoslav these martyrs were turned into holy warriors, to whom special prayers were subsequently dedicated on this day. In gratitude for the help rendered to him by the Holy Great Martyr, the pious Emperor John Tzimiskes rebuilt a temple in the name of St. Theodore Stratilates in Euchania (not far from Eukhait), to which he transferred his relics, and Euchania, as the Byzantine historian John Skylitza tells, renamed Theodoropolis (in translated from Greek - the city of Theodora). Although archaeological finds of Byzantine seals in Bulgaria in the 20th century indicate that it was there that the city was located, renamed in honor of the Holy Great Martyr Theodoropol. In some sources, probably in connection with Theodore Tiron, the location of this temple is called Euchaites. It should be noted that in Byzantium St. Theodore was revered precisely as a defender against Russian invasions.

Over time, the veneration of St. Theodore Stratelates began to be united with the veneration of his older contemporary St. Theodore Tyrone. The Synaxari of the 10th - 11th centuries prescribed services in honor of the great martyr in some churches of Constantinople dedicated to Theodore Tyrone, primarily in the temple erected by the patrician Sphorakios in 452. In 1265, a church dedicated to Theodore Stratilates and Theodore Tiron was built in the city of Serra. The second such temple was erected in Constantinople, in the Kyprianou Monastery. According to the vision of Emperor Theodore II Lascaris (reigned 1255 - 1259), heading from the city of Sera, both Saint Theodores helped him recapture the city of Melnik from the Bulgarians in 1255. The veneration of the two Theodores reached its greatest popularity in the 14th century, when the Byzantine writer Theodore Pediasmos compiled a set of miracles of Saint Theodores. In late Greek and Balkan iconography, there are known images of both saints sitting on horses and hugging each other as a sign of brotherly affection.

St. Theodore Stratelates was the heavenly patron of the famous Roman aristocratic family of Gavras, whose ancestor was St. Martyr Theodore Gavras, the famous military leader who conquered Trebizond from the Seljuk Turks. The Russian noble family of the Golovins comes from the Gavras.

The Holy Great Martyr Theodore Stratilates was widely known and revered in Holy Rus'. His image personified military valor. The veneration of Theodore Stratilates in Rus' became more widespread than the veneration of Theodore Tyrone. His name was given to many Russian princes and kings, many of whom were glorified by the Church as saints: the holy noble-believing Grand Duke Yaroslav Vsevolodovich (father of St. Alexander Nevsky), the holy noble-believing prince of Smolensk and Yaroslavl Theodore Rostislavich Cherny, the holy noble-believing Tsar of Moscow and All Rus' Theodore Ioannovich, Tsar Feodor Borisovich Godunov, Tsar Feodor Alekseevich Romanov. The name St. Theodore was also popular among the common people - until 1917, it was rare to find a family in Rus' that did not have a man named Theodore.

In Holy Rus', churches dedicated to St. Theodore were often erected, of which the most famous is the Church of St. Theodore on the Stream in Veliky Novgorod (built around 1361). The Holy Right-Believing Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible, in honor of the birth of his son Theodore, built a cathedral church in the Feodorovsky Monastery in Pereslavl-Zalessky. Temples in the name of St. Theodore Stratelates existed in many Russian cities: Moscow (architect I.V. Egotov, 1782 - 1806); Alexandrov (gate church of the 18th - 19th centuries in the Holy Assumption Monastery), etc.

The name of St. Theodore Stratilates is connected with the history of the great Orthodox shrine - the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God, a family heirloom of the House of Romanov.

Biography

Scientific approach to life

Lives of a Saint

In ancient Russian literature, there are three versions of the life of Theodore Stratilates, which experts call the “short”, “complete” and “Slavic version”.

These three lives are translated from Greek and constitute a hagiography-martyrium.

These two versions of the life are translations of the Greek originals, of which there were also two, and they also differed in the mentioned episode. These versions of the text have been preserved and are kept in the Vatican Apostolic Library (full - No. 1993, short - No. 1245).

But in the general manuscript tradition, the full version of the legend is much more common, which begins like this:

The third version is a translation of the Greek text of the life, which was included in the collection of Damascene the Studite "Treasures" (Greek) Θησαυρός ) 16th century, translated by Arseny the Greek.

Apparently this text was copied into the collection of A. I. Anisimov, who called it the “Slavic version.” Later, in 1715, this work of the Damascene Studite was completely translated by Feodor Gerasimov Poletaev.

In this work the title of the life looks like this: “The Torment of the Holy Glorious Great Martyr Theodore Stratilates, Translated into Common Language by the Last Damascus Subdeacon and Studite among the Monastics” which begins with the words:

As if there is no sweetness in the soul of a pious person...

The combination and translation of these versions was carried out by Dmitry Rostovsky, whose works were published in 1689-1705 and were considered the most successful.

This book has recently been republished once a decade, the last reprint was in 1998 (volume 7 - February).

Difficulties in studying the texts of the life of a saint

The translation of Greek texts itself often led to confusion of texts in some translations, which was a problem not only for Slavic translators. The problem was the proximity of Saints Theodore - Tyrone and Stratelata- they were both revered as Christian warriors, lived in the same area at the same time, each defeated his own serpent, and were patrons of the army of the Byzantine Empire.

In addition, the texts of the lives of the mentioned saints are read close to each other: firstly, the celebration of the memory of the saints in the calendar was located nearby, some of the Menaions are composed in such a way that the stories about the saints follow each other. Therefore, when reading the lives of saints at home, in the mind of the reader (scribe, translator), these stories were intertwined and there are errors in copying and translation. Secondly, during the reading of Chrysostom, these lives are read side by side and can be perceived by listeners as a single whole.

In some cultures, the features of saints penetrate each other; scientists give an example of a Georgian translation, in which there is only one martyr, and his name is "Theodore Stratilon". The serpent-wrestling of Theodore Stratilon is described based on the life of Theodore Stratelates, and the torment and death of the character coincide with the Greek text of the life of Theodore Tyrone. There are texts of Chrysostom in which Theodore Tyrone is called "Stratiot". There are also apocryphal texts that credit Tyrone with the military rank of strategos, which is an inconsistency ("Tiron" is translated as recruit).

Additional confusion is introduced - according to the life of Theodore Tyrone, it is he, and not Theodore Stratelates, who strikes the serpent that guards.

Scientific studies of the saint's life share this error; the academic edition of the History of Russian Literature of 1941 contains the text:

Theodore Tyrone saves Eusevia from the serpent, and Theodore Stratilates is the savior of his mother

Eremin I. P., Skripil M. O. Hagiographic literature

This is a mistake, since Tyrone saves his mother as well. Also in scientific research there is confusion with the dates of commemoration of saints and the texts of readings on these days.

Short prayer chants
Feast of Theodore Stratilates

We magnify you,
Passion-bearing Saint Theodore,
And we honor your honest suffering,
even you suffered for Christ.

Moreover, almost all Byzantine and Old Russian images of saints depict them in such a way that the differences between them become obvious. The hagiographic icon of Theodore Stratilates, which is kept in the Novgorod Museum, depicts both saints.

Events of the life of the saint

Victory over the serpent

According to life, Theodore was a talented, brave and handsome young man. The events that glorified Theodore took place during the reign of Emperor Licinius. During this period, there was extensive persecution of Christians, but the emperor, seeing that most of them were happy to die for their faith, began to persecute high-ranking Christians first. Theodore shared the fate of the Forty Sebastian Martyrs and other martyrs from among the emperor's entourage.

Theodore was born in the city of Euchait (Asia Minor) and served in the imperial army. The fame of his military prowess spread after he killed a serpent who lived near Euchaitis. According to legend, this snake lived in a hole in a deserted field, which was located north of the city. Once a day he got out of there and at that moment any animal or person could become his victim. Having had his fill, he returned to his lair.

Theodore, without notifying anyone of his intentions, decided to rid the city of this monster and marched against him with his usual weapons. Arriving at the field, he wanted to rest in the grass, but he was awakened by the elderly Christian woman Eusevia. Eusebia, in whose house the relics of Theodore Tiron were buried, warned him of the danger. Theodore prayed, mounted his horse, and challenged the serpent to battle. After the Serpent crawled out of the underground shelter, Theodore's horse jumped on him with its hooves and the rider struck him.

Residents of the city who saw the snake's body associated the feat with the faith of Theodore and were surprised at the power of Christianity. After this, he was appointed military commander (stratilate) in the city of Heraclea, where he actively preached Christianity. Most of the townspeople were converted by him to the Christian faith. This was reported to Emperor Licinius, who sent dignitaries after him, who invited Theodore to his place. In response, Theodore invited the emperor to Heraclea, promising to arrange a magnificent sacrifice to the pagan gods there.

Theodore Stratilates is one of the most revered saints in the Orthodox world. The icon of the great martyr can become your personal amulet, which will protect you from any difficulties in life.

During his lifetime, Theodore Stratelates became famous not only for his heroic deeds, but also for his unshakable faith in God. For his mercy and courage, the Lord enlightened him with the knowledge of Christianity, which helped Saint Theodore defend himself and humanity in battle with the terrible serpent, which kept all the inhabitants of Euchait in fear. Until the last days of his life, the great martyr defended the Christian faith in the world of pagans, which later became the cause of his suffering and painful death.

The Story of Theodore Stratelates

The Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates was born in the ancient city of Euchait. Not only his courage and heroic deeds glorified the warrior among local residents, but also his faith in God, which he did not hide from other people. When a huge snake appeared in the vicinity of the city, which devoured everything that came in its way and kept the entire area in fear, only Theodore was not afraid to go to battle with the monster. Armed with a sword and a prayer addressed to the Lord, he single-handedly attacked the serpent and mercilessly beheaded it. After this feat, Theodore was deservedly appointed military leader of Heraclea, but in addition to his service he continued to preach the Christian faith.

At this time, Emperor Licinius came to power, who did not approve of the preaching of the young warrior. He saw Christian believers as a threat to paganism. One day the emperor arrived in Heraclea and demanded that the saint bow to pagan idols, to which he received a firm refusal. Licinius was angered by this answer, and he demanded that Theodore be subjected to terrible torture. On the same day, Theodore was crucified on the cross, but an angel who appeared at night healed him. The next morning, the pagans saw the great martyr alive and unharmed and decided that this was God’s miracle. Having learned about this, the emperor ordered Theodore to be beheaded.

Description of the image of the Great Martyr Theodore

The ancient icon of Theodore Stratelates was painted in the 19th century in an icon-painting workshop located near Veliky Novgorod. On it you can see a brave warrior holding a spear in one hand and a round military shield or cross in the other, which testifies to the martyrdom of Theodore. At the moment, there are many varieties of icons depicting the saint, but in composition they are similar to each other.

What do they pray to Theodore Stratilates for?

By purchasing a small icon of St. Theodore, you can make it your amulet. It helps in strengthening faith, protects against problems and difficulties and helps to find a way out of any situation.

The military reveres Theodore Stratilates as their patron and, when going to service, they ask him for blessing and protection.

The prisoners turn to the Great Martyr Theodore with a request for forgiveness of sins and speedy release.

If there is a sick person in the family or one possessed by evil spirits, the relatives turn to Saint Theodore with a request for healing and intercession.

Where is the icon of St. Theodore located?

In many churches in our country you can see the revered image of the Great Martyr Theodore Stratilates. One of the most famous icons to this day adorns the northern façade of the Alexander Nevsky Chapel, located at the Vagankovskoye cemetery in Moscow.

Prayer to Theodore Stratilates

“O glorious and great martyr Saint Theodore Stratilates! Protect us sinners who turn to you with prayers in the hope of your help. Intercede for us before the Lord God, ask Him for forgiveness of our sins, may He protect us from evil and attacks from the atheists. May he give us a quiet life and learn about our faith in Him, His strength and might. We glorify the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen".

Date of celebration of the icon

Prayers addressed to Saint Theodore will help you protect yourself and your loved ones from any troubles. You can ask the great martyr for help any day, but it’s best to do this February 21 or 21st of June. It is on these days that services dedicated to the memory of Theodore Stratilates will take place.

Sincere prayer is the best amulet for all occasions. To protect yourself from evil and problems, turn to the saints for help, and effective prayer will help you with this. We wish you happiness and health, and don't forget to press the buttons and

21.02.2018 05:18

The Hodegetria icon, revered as miraculous, has been known in Rus' since ancient times. Orthodox Christians especially value...

Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates came from the city of Euchait. He was endowed with many talents and beautiful appearance. For his mercy, God enlightened him with perfect knowledge of Christian truth. The bravery of the holy warrior became known to many after he, with the help of God, killed a huge serpent that lived in an abyss in the vicinity of the city of Euchaita. The snake devoured many people and animals, keeping the entire area in fear. Saint Theodore, armed with a sword and prayer to the Lord, defeated him, glorifying the Name of Christ among people. For his courage, Saint Theodore was appointed military commander (stratilate) in the city of Heraclea, where he bore a kind of double obedience, combining his responsible military service with the apostolic preaching of the Gospel among the pagans subordinate to him. His ardent conviction, supported by the personal example of Christian life, turned many away from the harmful “lies of godlessness.” Soon almost all of Heraclea converted to Christianity.

At this time, Emperor Licinius (307-324) began a brutal persecution of Christians. Wanting to behead the new faith, he brought persecution down on the enlightened champions of Christianity, in whom, not without reason, he saw the main threat to dying paganism. Among them was Saint Theodore. The saint himself invited Licinius to Heraclea, promising him to make a sacrifice to the pagan gods. To perform this magnificent ceremony, he wished to collect in his house all the gold and silver statues of the gods that were in Heraclea. Blinded by hatred of Christianity, Licinius believed the words of the saint. However, his expectations were deceived: having taken possession of the idols, Saint Theodore broke them into pieces and distributed them to the poor. Thus, he disgraced the vain faith in soulless idols and literally established the laws of Christian charity on the ruins of paganism.

Saint Theodore was captured and subjected to cruel and sophisticated torture. Their witness was the servant of Saint Theodore, who barely found the strength to describe the incredible torment of his master. Anticipating his imminent death, Saint Theodore already turned to God his last prayers, saying: “Lord, you spoke to me first, I am with you, but now why have you forsaken me? See, Lord, like a wild beast, tearing me to pieces for your sake, the essence of the apple is gored My hair, my flesh is shattered with wounds, my face is wounded, my teeth are crushed, only my naked bones hang on the cross: remember me, Lord, who endured the cross for Your sake, I lifted up iron, and fire, and nails for You: for the rest, take my spirit, already for I am departing from this life."

However, God, in His great mercy, wished that the death of Saint Theodore would be as fruitful for his neighbors as his entire life: He healed the saint’s tortured body and brought him down from the cross, on which he was left all night. In the morning the royal soldiers found Saint Theodore alive and unharmed; Convinced with their own eyes of the boundless power of the Christian God, they immediately, not far from the place of the failed execution, accepted holy Baptism. So Saint Theodore appeared “like a bright day” for the pagans who were in the darkness of idolatry and enlightened their souls “with the bright rays of his suffering.” Not wanting to avoid martyrdom for Christ, Saint Theodore voluntarily surrendered himself into the hands of Licinius, stopping the people who had believed in Christ from rebelling against their tormentors, with the words: “Stop, beloved! My Lord Jesus Christ, hanging on the Cross, restrained the Angels so that they would not create vengeance on the human race." Going to execution, the holy martyr with one word opened the prison doors and freed the prisoners from their bonds. People who touched his vestments and the miracle of God’s renewed body were instantly healed of illnesses and freed from demons. By order of the king, Saint Theodore was beheaded with a sword.

Before the death penalty, he told Uar: “Don’t be lazy to write down the day of my death, and lay my body in the Euchaites.” With these words he asked for annual commemoration. Then, saying “Amen,” he bowed his head under the sword. This happened on February 8, 319, on Saturday, at three o'clock in the afternoon.

We recommend reading

Tablets

Saints Theodore Stratelates and Theodore Tyrone Icon of Theodore Stratelates with Life

Smartphones

The most important straits for seafarers Straits by length

Tablets

He dreams about him. Interpretation of dreams. Dream Interpretation. How to solve a dream? What is a prophetic dream? How to interpret dreams? Why does the dreamer dream of Snakes, psychological analysis

Office programs

Jagadish Chandra Bose (from the series “Real Man in Science”)

Tablets

Application for cash expense

Windows instructions

What elements does the wage fund include?