Holy Martyr Theodore and Others with Him

Life

He suffered for the faith of Christ in Perge of Pamphylia in the time of Emperor Antoninus. Theodore was young and beautiful of countenance. When the governor of that province selected him with other young men who were to be sent to serve at the imperial court, Theodore resisted and declared that he was a Christian. He was on account of this tortured with various tortures and then cast upon a fire. But from the earth water gushed forth and quenched the fire. The governor attributed this to certain sorceries of Theodore. But the martyr said to him: "This is not the work of my power but of Christ my God; and if thou dost wish to know the power of thy gods, kindle another fire and cast one of thy soldiers into it, and thou wilt, I trust, come to know their power and the almighty power of my God." The governor indeed wished to cast one of the soldiers, but they in fear implored him to cast the pagan priest Dioscorus in their stead. The priest, however, pleaded that the idol of Zeus itself and the other idols be cast in, for if they are gods, they will easily save themselves. And Dioscorus said this because he had already been converted in his heart to Christ after seeing the miracle with Theodore. Learning of this, the governor condemned Dioscorus to death and burned him. Likewise he put to death Theodore and two soldiers, Socrates and Dionysius, and also Philippa, the mother of Theodore. Theodore was crucified upon a cross, on which only on the third day did he breathe his last. Socrates and Dionysius were pierced through with spears, and Philippa was beheaded with the sword. All were crowned with crowns of glory in the kingdom of Christ.