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| St. Theodore of Alexandria (Feast Day - September 12) |
Verses
The head of Theodore was struck off with a sword,
And shared in the gifts of God, as the name he bears.
The Holy Martyr Theodore has been erroneously identified with Patriarch Theodore I of Alexandria (608–610) in the Hagiologion and Synaxarion, who is commemorated on December 3rd. This Theodore, however, whom we commemorate today was a layman of Alexandria during one of the early Christian persecutions. There he proclaimed Christ fearlessly and for this was seized by the pagans.
Enraged by his message, the pagans first crowned Theodore with a crown of thorns, struck and spit on him in the face, and paraded him chained through the streets of Alexandria. Then they cast him into the sea, but he was kept unharmed by divine grace. Lastly, the governor ordered that he be beheaded, and thus victoriously he entered the heavens.