THEODORE, Saint, Martyr. - In the Greek Synaxarion a T., an army officer, is commemorated on February 8 as a martyr of Heraclea, and on the 17th of the same month a T., a recruit, martyr at Euchaita.
In the Roman Martyrology too, T. is remembered twice: on February 7 and November 9; the latter date, according to the Passio, would be his dies natalis and probably also the anniversary of the dedication of the church in his honor beneath the Palatine. In reality there existed only one T., namely the recruit, whose cult was very widespread in antiquity. At Constantinople a church in his honor was built in 452; at Rome his image is found in the mosaic of the basilica of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, erected by Felix IV (526-30), and in the 8th century a diaconia (v.) was dedicated to him beneath the Palatine; monasteries dedicated to him existed in the 6th century at Palermo and Messina (St. Gregory, Reg. Epist., in MGH, Epist., ed. P. Ewald-L. M. Hartmann, I, Berlin 1887, p. 11; II, ibid. 1891, p. 65). He suffered martyrdom at Amasea, but was buried at Euchaita, where a basilica was built that was frequented by pilgrims and in which St. Gregory of Nyssa delivered a discourse (PG 46, 736-48). From it and from another lost writing derives the present Passio, which follows similar writings. Of Eastern origin and enrolled in the army, T. was transferred to Pontus with his legion. When the persecution of Diocletian broke out, he was accused as a Christian and brought before the tribunal of the tribune, who with promises and threats sought to force him to sacrifice. He was granted time to reflect, but T. took advantage of it to set fire to the temple of Cybele. He was then tortured and finally condemned to the stake. In the Roman liturgical books the feast falls on November 9.
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Agostino Amore