Holy Priest-Martyr Theodoret

Life

Emperor Constantine built a cathedral church in Antioch of exceptional beauty. The people called this church the Golden Church on account of its gilding both outside and inside, and because of the many vessels of gold and silver within it. The emperor also donated great estates to that church for the maintenance of its clergy, who were considerable in number. The keeper of those vessels and all the treasures in the church was the presbyter Theodoret, a priest of great faith and rare piety. When Julian the Apostate began to reign, though he had been baptized, he renounced Christ and raised up a persecution against Christians. His uncle, also bearing the name Julian, came to Antioch and plundered the Golden Church, and took Theodoret as treasurer to trial, counseling him to renounce Christ. Not only did Theodoret refuse to renounce his Lord, but he rebuked Emperor Julian for having apostatized from the true faith and returned to idolatry like a dog to its vomit. When the wicked judge in his insolence defiled the Golden Church, Theodoret prophesied for him a terrible death, which soon overtook him. Theodoret was beheaded with an axe for Christ, while the judge Julian felt pains in his lower body from the very hour he defiled the church. His entire lower body was devoured by worms, and he vomited out his apostate soul in the most terrible torments. So also Felix, his deputy, in fulfillment of Theodoret's prophecy, died soon after — immediately upon the beheading of this righteous man he began spitting blood from his mouth. The holy Theodoret was beheaded in the year 362 and departed to the most glorious Kingdom of Christ the King.