Venerable Theodore the Sanctified

Life

A disciple of Saint Pachomius. Born and raised a pagan, but as a young man he came to the knowledge of the true faith, was baptized, and hearing of Saint Pachomius, fled secretly from his parents to his monastery. Saint Pachomius tonsured him as a monk and came to love him for his extraordinary zeal and obedience. When his mother came to call him back home, he would not even show himself to his mother, but prayed to God for her, that God might enlighten her also with the truth. And indeed, the mother not only did not bring her son home, but she herself did not return home. Seeing nearby a women's monastery governed by the sister of Pachomius, she entered it and was tonsured. After a certain time Theodore's brother Paphnutius also came to the monastery and was tonsured as well. It happened once that the bishop of the city of Panopolis invited Saint Pachomius to establish a monastery for the many who desired the monastic life. Pachomius took Theodore with him and entrusted to him in the main the task of establishing the monastery. After the death of Saint Pachomius, Theodore became abbot of all of Pachomius's monasteries, and to a ripe old age he lived in a manner pleasing to God, guiding a multitude of monks on the path of salvation. He reposed peacefully and passed over to the kingdom of eternal light in the year 368.

From the Hymn of Praise

Nicholas the martyr suffered for ChristAnd by bitter endurance overcame the devil;The hero would not renounce his Savior,But glorified God while he had a voice;