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Justin Martyr

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Part 13

Part 14

St. Ignatius

St. Daniel the Stylite

Introduction

Ch. 1-34

Ch. 35-70

Ch. 71-102

Notes

The Life of
St. Theodore
of Sykeon

Pass. 3-10

Pass. 11-20

Pass. 21-30

Pass. 31-40

Pass. 41-50

Pass. 51-60

Pass. 61-70

Pass. 71-80

Pass. 81-90

Pass. 91-100

Pass. 101-110

Pass. 111-120

Pass. 121-130

Pass. 131-140

Pass. 141-148

Notes

A homily of
St. Gregory Palamas
on Matthew 5:1-12

St. John Chrysostom Letters to Olympias

Letter 1

Letter 2

Letter 3

Letter 4

Letter 5

THE LIFE OF ST. THEODORE OF SYKEON

[An asterisk * indicates a note, keyed by chapter, at the end of the life.]

131

Near the monastery of the allholy Mother of God at Katharae, Theodore, the imperial groom, met him (the one who had been a supplicant of the Saint's before) and conducted him to the port of Pylae where he worked various miracles. He also took him to his own house in Upper Pylae to free it from the great distress caused by the demons (see ch. 129). For both his servants and his beasts were bewitched by the unclean spirits, and when the members of the household were at breakfast or dinner, stones would be thrown at the tables, causing fear and great dismay; they also broke the women's looms. The whole house, too, was filled with mice and snakes which terrified the inhabitants and in fact made it quite uninhabitable. The servant of God entered into the house and stayed the night there, supplicating God by psalmsinging and prayers; and after he had blessed some water and sprinkled the whole house with it, he freed the owners from the demons' malignity.

132

(Summary) Theodore drives out the demon from a fellowtraveller in the boat when crossing from Pylae to Constantinople; the demon had been secretly active in the man for many years and during the crossing violently abused the Saint. The other passengers, not knowing that the man was possessed, told him to hold his peace and not malign the Saint in this scandalous and drunken fashion. Theodore beat upon the man's chest and making the sign of the Cross compelled the hidden demon to go out. The demon was seen by those in the boat to leave the man's mouth in the form of a mouse.

133

When Theodore disembarked at the imperial city the most blessed Patriarch, Thomas, received him and they embraced t each other with much joy. Theodore also introduced to him his disciple John, whom he wished to be ordained abbot, bearing witness to his virtuous life. The Patriarch immediately agreed thereto, invested him with the pallium and appointed him abbot, escorting him to their own monasteries in the countryside.

The Emperor Phocas heard of the Saint's visit, and requested to see him (for he was confined to his bed with gout in his hands and feet). Theodore came to him and after he had laid his hand upon him and prayed over him, the Emperor was relieved of his disease. But when the Emperor asked him to pray for him and for his rule, the servant of Christ began to admonish him and said that if he wished to be always held in remembrance by him and wanted the Saint's prayers on his behalf to be effective, he must cease his killing of men and shedding of blood. If he were successful in this, 'then my prayers for you,' . said Theodore, 'will be answered by God'. But if the Emperor persisted in his murderous ways, he foretold to him the woes that would come upon him through God's wrath; at these words the Emperor became very incensed against him.

134

When he had left the palace the most blessed Patriarch, Thomas, would give Theodore no peace, for he held him in great respect and had such full confidence in him that after many entreaties he persuaded him to adopt him as a brother, and Theodore promised to ask of God that in the future life, too, they might not be separated from each other.

Next he asked him whether the tale about the extraordinary jumping of the little crosses during processional litanies was really true; and on learning from the Saint that the story told him about them was true, he began privately to beg him to explain to him what such a sign meant. However, Theodore, pleading his own insignificance and calling himself an abject sinner, asserted that he did not know how to answer the question. Then Thomas fell at his feet and held them and protested that he would not get up from the ground unless he consented to satisfy him on this point, saying, 'I know and am convinced that you understand not only this sign, but many others as well; for you cannot have been content up till now to consider this as of no account and not to seek an explanation of it; if, however, it has been concealed from you till this moment and you have not been anxious to learn about it, yet now if you ask God, He will certainly reveal it to you'. Then the servant of Christ, having consented to satisfy him, made him get up and weeping bitterly said to him, 'I did not wish you to be troubled, for it is not to your profit to learn these, things. But since you insist, the shaking of the crosses portends many painful and dangerous things for us-it means instability in our faith and apostasy, and the inroads of many barbarous peoples, and the shedding of much blood, and destruction and captivity throughout the world, the desolation of the holy churches, the cessation of the divine service of praise, the fall and perturbation of the Empire and perplexity and critical times for the State; and further it foreshadows that the coming of the Adversary is at hand. Therefore do you, as governor of the Church and shepherd of the people, implore God continuously, as far as in you lies, to spare His people and to order these things with pity and with mercy'. At these words the most blessed Patriarch was seized with an agony of fear and began with tears to beg Theodore to pray God to take away his life and not let him be overtaken by any of the disasters he had foretold.

And from that time forth the Patriarch continually lived in retirement in his palace and poured out confessions to Theodore and besought him with tears saying, 'Since you have with your whole heart deigned to accept me as your brother and are thus so closely bound to me and to my welfare. pray to God on my behalf that he may take my spirit and that 1 may not see the dangers which are to come upon us. My courage fails me and I have not the strength to see these things come - and live

135

(Summary) The Patriarch Thomas earnestly prays Theodore to spend his yearly period of seclusion in the capital, as the city will soon need his presence. There was a fear that Constantinople might fall. He agrees thereto and after Christmas he shuts himself up in the diakonikon of the winter church of the monastery of St. Stephen or monastery of the Romans near the Petrion.* The Patriarch implores Theodore to pray to a God to grant him a speedy release from the troubles threatening the Empire. After some resistance Theodore complies and God grants the prayer: the death of the Patriarch soon follows.

136

(Summary) Sergius is appointed patriarch and shows the same respect towards Theodore as Thomas had done: he pleads that he is young for his high office and needs Theodore's prayers Theodore replies that his youth will give him courage to face the perils which threatened the Empire and promises him a long and worthy tenure of the patriarchate. Sergius constantly appeals to Theodore for advice.

137

(Summary) Many in Constantmople especially those in high places were accustomed to go to the baths after communicating. Theodore condemns the practice. A number of the cathedral clergy come to Theodore and ask him whether this condemnation has support in scripture or is based on a special revelation. Theodore replies that God had revealed to him that those who take a bath after receiving the Eucharist through wantonness and for bodily enjoyment commit a sin, 'For no one who has anointed himself with myrrh and perfumes washes off the pleasant scent thereof and no one who has lunched with the Emperor straightway runs to the baths'.

138

(Summary) While in the monastery of the Romans Theodore heals many sufferers amongst the crowds which resort to him there. Zoilus, abbot of the monastery, witnesses the cure of a demoniac.

139

(Summary) The monks together with the abbot Christophorus wish to have a picture of Theodore as a permanent , memorial and to secure his blessing. They summon a painter without Theodore's knowledge: he can only see the Saint through a small aperture, but manages to produce a good likeness. Before Theodore left the monastery they asked him to bless the portrait: he smiled at the bearer of the message: 'You are a fine thief', he said, 'what are you doing here? We must see to it that you don't run off with something!' Then he blessed the painting, and dismissed the messenger.

140

(Summary) Domnitziolus, patrician and curopalates, asks Theodore to visit him in Arcadianae. His wife Eirene has no children: the saint blesses her and promises her three children - and they will be boys. All the male and female slaves of the household are brought to Theodore for his blessing. A slave girl had long been ill, troubled by a hidden demon. He beats on her breast and the demon declares itself. Then the Saint laying her on the ground Put his foot on her neck, turned his eyes to the east and uttered a silent prayer. At the end of his prayer he recited aloud the doxology of the Holy Trinity. For some time the slave girl remained speechless and then was completely cured. Later Eirene gave birth to three sons, as the Saint had prophesied. The conception of her first son immediately followed the Saint's prayer. Emperor and Patriarch say farewell to Theodore and he returns to his monastery.

 

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