Saint Theodosia of Constantinople

Saint Theodosia was a nun martyred in the year 729 during the reign of the Leo III the Isaurian of the Byzantine Roman Empire.  The emperor was an adherent of the iconoclast heresy, which prohibited the veneration of icons. When the emperor sent an official to remove an icon of Christ which stood above the Chalke Gate of the imperial palace, Saint Theodosia and some other women gathered to stop him. Saint Theodosia shook the ladder which the official was using, and he fell to his death. In retaliation, Saint Theodosia was killed by having a ram's horn hammered through her neck. She is today recognized as a saint in both Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.

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Transcript

 God is glorious in his saints!
 
 Welcome to the Christian Saints Podcast. My name is dr Darren Ong, recording from Sepang in Malaysia. In this podcast, we explore the lives of the Christian saints, from the Anglican, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions.Today, we commemorate St Theodeosia of Constantinople
 
 Saint Theodosia was a nun, who lived during the time of the iconoclast heresy. Iconoclasm was the opposition to the veneration of icons in Christian worship. In the Byzantine Roman empire, there were periods where this heresy was very powerful, to the point where at times the Byzantine emperor was an iconoclast heretic. The emperor Leo III the Isaurian was one such example. In the year 729 he ordered that an icon of Christ that stood over the Chalke gate of the imperial palace be removed. A group of women gathered to oppose the removal. The nun theodosia shook the ladder of the official who was trying to remove the icon, causing him to fall to his death. For her faith, Saint Theodosia was brutally killed.
 
 She is venerated as a saint in both the Roman Catholic church and the Eastern Orthodox church. Her feast day is July 18 in Catholicism, and May 29 in Eastern Orthodoxy.
 
 Let us hear an account of her story from the website of the OCA:
 
 he Virgin Martyr Theodosia of Constantinople lived during the eighth century. She was born in answer to the fervent prayers of her parents. After their death, she was raised at the women’s monastery of the holy Martyr Anastasia in Constantinople. Saint Theodosia became a nun after she distributed to the poor of what remained of her parental inheritance. She used part of the money to commission gold and silver icons of the Savior, the Theotokos, and Saint Anastasia.

When Leo the Isaurian (717-741) ascended the imperial throne, he issued an edict to destroy holy icons everywhere. Above the Bronze Gates at Constantinople was a bronze icon of the Savior, which had been there for more than 400 years. In 730, the iconoclast Patriarch Anastasius ordered the icon removed.

The Virgin Martyr Theodosia and other women rushed to protect the icon and toppled the ladder with the soldier who was carrying out the command. Then they stoned the impious Patriarch Anastasius, and Emperor Leo ordered soldiers to behead the women. Saint Theodosia, an ardent defender of icons, was locked up in prison. For a week they gave her a hundred lashes each day. On the eighth day, they led her about the city, fiercely beating her along the way. One of the soldiers stabbed the nun in the throat with a ram’s horn, and she received the crown of martyrdom. 

The body of the holy virgin martyr was reverently buried by Christians in the monastery of Saint Euphemia in Constantinople, near a place called Dexiokratis. The tomb of Saint Theodosia was glorified by numerous healings of the sick. 
 
 ***
 
 Saint Theodosia became a very popular saint in the later years of the Byzantine empire, after the iconoclast heresy died away. 
 
 The site of her relics became a site of pilgrimage, and many healings were attributed to her. Let us read some of the accounts of miraculous healings from her intercession. Let us read some of these accounts, from a Master’s thesis by Helena Ann Dean, under the Art History dept of the University of Oregon, titiled ICONS OF THE ICONODULE: GENDER, POLITICS, AND ORTHODOXY IN THE

PALAIOLOGAN IMAGERY OF SAINT THEODOSIA
 
 At the end of his encomium, Akropolites describes three miraculous healings that

took place at the shrine of Theodosia. The healed included Akropolites himself, his son-

in-law, Michael ofTrebizond, and a crippled boy; each was cured through contact with

Theodosia's relics and anointment with oil from the lamp that hung at her shrine. The

first miracle involves a severely crippled boy who was unable to walk upright and was

forced to drag himself along the ground. Akropolites, familiar with the boy, was amazed

to see him standing straight up one day. The youth told Akropolites that he had been

taken to Theodosia's shrine where he had anointed himself with oil from the lamp that

hung above her reliquary. Upon doing so, he miraculously regained the use of his limbs

and kissed Theodosia's icon in gratitude. 52 The icon mentioned here likely had much in

common with the icons of Theodosia that will be discussed in the following chapter. This

account confirms the obvious: that icons of Theodosia were present at her shrine and

were part of devotion to her cult. Akropolites also recounts the miraculous healings of

Michael of Trebizond and himself. A riding accident had left Michael in a coma from

which he awakened in a deranged state. After doctors tried unsuccessfully to cure

Michael by bleeding him, Akropolites took him to the shrine of 8t. Theodosia, where he

was miraculously healed through contact with her relics and anointment with oil from her

lamp.53 Akropolites was also healed at the shrine of Theodosia. He had been kicked in the

legs by a horse and long suffered from chronic pain. Doctors proved ineffective, but he

was miraculously healed when he visited the shrine of St. Theodosia. 54 Akropolites'

encomium was probably connected to the growing reputation of Theodosia's shrine as a

site of miraculous healing, and was likely written either in gratitude for the cures of

himself and his son-in-law or as a commissioned piece.55 Andronikos II might even have

commissioned Akropolites' work, since some encomia were meant to be read at the

dedication ceremonies of churches restored by the emperor.

Another account of miraculous healing at Theodosia's shrine comes from the

historian Georgios Pachymeres, who recorded the miraculous cure of a deaf and mute

boy, Pegonites, in 1306.

56

The boy had a dream in which Theodosia appeared to him and pointed him to her shrine.

57

After the boy visited her church and anointed himself with

the oil from her lamp, his hearing and voice were miraculously restored. The event

attracted the attention of the emperor Andronikos II, who requested that the cured boy be

tested in the presence of the patriarch. 58 After witnessing the boy's cure, the emperor, accompanied by the patriarch and the senate, held an all-night vigil of thanksgiving at the

Church of Theodosia. 59

Given that St Theodosia was a protector of the holy icons, it is fitting that there are many icons of her, a lot more than the typical female saint. The masters thesis that we quoted earlier was a survey of the iconographic portrayals of St Theodosia. Let us also read the conclusion of that thesis, which gives an overview of how she herself was portrayed in icon:
 
 

elena Ann Dean – Univ of Oregon Art History Masters’ Thesis
 This thesis has shown that the icons of St. Theodosia stand as important evidence of the

popularity of her cult in the Palaiologan period. The icons of Theodosia functioned in

several ways. Icons were used in devotional practices at Theodosia's shrine in

Constantinople. The small icons from Sinai suggest both the portability of her cult and

their intimate use in private devotion, perhaps by monks who lived at the Monastery of

Saint Catherine. The large Naxos icon, with its placement on the iconostasis, shows that

icons of Theodosia could be used in public devotion as well. The presence at Sinai of

icons of Theodosia, whose healing cult was centered in Constantinople, might suggest

that icons could offer access to the healing powers of the saint in distant locations.

The image of Theodosia can be considered as a symbol of Orthodoxy when the

information on her life and cult is looked at in relation to the political and religious concerns of the Palaiologan period. Theodosia's role in opposing Byzantine Iconoclasm,

which was retrospectively viewed as a period of heresy, associates her with the Orthodox

cause, since icon veneration was central to Orthodox doctrine. The inclusion of

Theodosia in representations of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, such as the British Museum

icon, furthers this association. The popularity of the healing cult of Theodosia in the

Palaiologan period coincides with important political and religious issues concerning

Orthodoxy. In the written sources the reign of Andronikos II was associated with the

Empire's return to Orthodoxy, after having suffered both the Latin occupation and the

Union of Churches under the emperor Michael VIII. The definition of Orthodoxy was the

concern of the Constantinopolitan councils of the fourteenth century. The strength of the

Church and Orthodoxy were understood to be integral to the survival of the Empire.

Ironically, the fall of Constantinople occurred on the feast day of Theodosia, May 29,

1453.

When the icons of Theodosia are considered together, they show that Theodosia's

image followed a standardized iconography unique to the saint. These icons stand as

important examples of portrait icons of female saints. There is a need for a systematic

study of female saints in icons, which would provide scholars with valuable comparative

material, much of which remains unpublished. Analysis of the icons of Theodosia should

be a cornerstone of such a study.

Let us read from a homily from Father John Whiteford of St Jonah’s Orthodox Church in Spring TX. In this homily, Father Whiteford draws on the example of Saint Theodosia to talk about the importance of coming to church and venerating the holy things, even during the pandemic:

John Whiteford, St Johah Orthodox Church, Spring TX
 
 St. Theodosia was born to pious parents in Constantinople, and her mother had been praying for a child for a long period of time. Then the Martyr Anastasia appeared to her and told her that her prayers would be answered, and then she conceived and later gave birth to St. Theodosia, whose name means given by God, appropriately. St. Theodosia’s father died when she was seven years old. Her mother placed her in the Convent of the Resurrection, which was in Constantinople, and then her mother also died and left her a large fortune. Out of that fortune she commissioned three icons: an icon of Christ, an icon of the Theotokos, and an icon of the martyr Anastasia, and then she gave the rest of her fortune to the poor.

Iconoclasm was a heresy that was inspired by Islam. Prior to the advent of Islam, there was no one in the Church that was talking about how you can’t venerate icons, you can’t make icons. This was something that people did and didn’t think about it. As a matter of fact, at the Sixth Ecumenical Council, there was a canon that mentioned icons that were being incorrectly painted and said how they should be painted, and it was mentioned in passing without any hint that it was a controversial thing that people would have icons that they would paint or that they would venerate. As a matter of fact, if you go to the catacombs in Rome where the early Christians often went to have services, you’ll find that they’re covered with icons from floor to ceiling. So this was something that Christians always did.

But you had a series of emperors who came from areas where Islam had made a lot of inroads, so they were influenced by the iconoclasm that the Muslims practiced. The first of these was the emperor Leo the Isaurian. He became the emperor in the year 717, and he remained the emperor until 741. He issued a series of edicts against the veneration of icons starting in the year 726 through the year 729. Then in the year 730, he removed by force St. Germanus, who was the Patriarch of Constantinople, because he refused to go along with these things, and he replaced with Anastasios, who was an iconoclast, so a psuedo-patriarch.

In that same year, the emperor ordered that a very famous icon of Christ be removed that hung on the Halki Gate, or the Bronze Gate, which was the primary entrance, the ceremonial entrance to the imperial palace. So an imperial guard climbed up a ladder with an axe, and he was about to knock the icon to the ground, and St. Theodosia, along with a group of women, ran, and they shook the ladder, and he fell to his death. Then there were a group of monks that took the ladder away. Then St. Theodosia took a group of pious women of Constantinople, both high and modest stations in society, and they had rocks and clubs in their hands, and they went to the patriarchate, and they showered the pseudo-patriarch, Anastasios, with rocks. He escaped with his life so he continued on with his heresy, but these were women not to be trifled with. When it came to someone trying to desecrate an icon of the Savior, they weren’t just going to sit idly by and let that happen.

No doubt they knew that it was not likely to go well for them when they did this. So the emperor ordered that the women with her were to be beheaded. St. Theodosia, however, was tortured for a period of time. She was locked in prison for a week, and they gave her a hundred lashes every day. Then on the eighth day they led her about the city, and they beat her as they dragged her through the streets. Then they took her to a place that was called the ox field, which was a place of public execution. Then one of the soldiers took a ram’s horn and hammered it into her throat, and she received the crown of martyrdom.

I don’t think St. Theodosia would have said, “You know what? I’m not going to kiss the icons, because there’s a virus going around.” I don’t think she would have said, “I’m not going to go to church, because there’s a virus going around.” I know she wouldn’t say, “I’m not going to take Communion because I might get sick,” because how can you possibly get sick from partaking of the body and blood of Christ? Now, if you don’t believe it’s the body and blood of Christ, stay home, because maybe you will get sick if you don’t believe it. If you’re an atheist, there’s no point in coming to church anyway. Why bother? But if you really believe it’s the body and blood of Christ, if you really believe that God is who he says he is, then you ought to be able to just trust God, that he’s going to take care of you, and that his will will be done.

We have a faith today, we have a Church that still exists, and we are all here today as Orthodox Christians because thousands and tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands and millions of our forebears were willing to lay down their life for their faith. So we shouldn’t allow these kinds of temptations to distract us from our focus. They shouldn’t keep us from coming to church; they shouldn’t keep us from praying. We owe it to them, and we certainly owe it to the Savior, to remain focused and to keep doing the things that we know we’re supposed to be doing as Orthodox Christians, and to trust God, because, after all, what’s the worst that could happen? You could die, and you could be with Christ. So what are you worried about? Don’t be concerned about these things; trust God, and God will take care of the rest. Amen.
 
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 ***
 
Troparion, Tone 4:

Your lamb Theodosia, O Jesus, 
 Calls out to You in a loud voice: 
 I love You, O my bridegroom, 
 And in seeking You, I endure suffering. 
 In Baptism I was crucified so that I might reign in You, 
 And died so that I might live with You. 
 Accept me as a pure sacrifice, 
 For I have offered myself in love. 
 By her prayers save our souls, since You are merciful.

Kontakion, Tone 2:

Through your striving, O venerable Theodosia, 
 You inherited a life of peace. 
 By shedding your blood, you vanquished the enemy of the Church of Christ. 
 As you rejoice now in His presence, ever pray to Him for us all!