05 Works, Today, March 7th, is Martyr Theodore's Day, With Footnotes - #65

 Great Martyr Theodore the Recruit

The Holy Great Martyr Theodore the Recruit was a soldier in the city of Alasium of the Pontine district. They commanded him to offer sacrifice to idols. Saint Theodore firmly confessed his faith in Christ the Savior in a loud voice. The commander gave him several days to think it over, during which time Saint Theodore prayed.

The martyr Theodore climbed onto the fire without hesitation

They charged him with setting a pagan temple on fire, and threw him into prison to be starved to death. The Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him there, comforting and encouraging him. Brought to the governor, Saint Theodore boldly and fearlessly confessed his faith, for which he was subjected to new torments and condemned to burning. The martyr Theodore climbed onto the fire without hesitation, and with prayer gave up his holy soul to God. More on the great martyr Theodore

Edward Armitage,  (1817–1896)

Julian the Apostate presiding at a conference of sectarians, c. 1875

Oil on canvas

H 174.6 x W 271.8 cm

Walker Art Gallery

Edward Armitage RA (May 20, 1817 – May 24, 1896), a history and biblical painter; born 20 May 1817, in London. Studied in Germany and Paris, under Paul Delaroche, whom he assisted with Hémicycle for the Palais des Beaux-Arts (1838–41); settled in London 1848, exhibiting ambitious works at RA and elsewhere; two frescoes in Houses of Parliament 1852–4; Crimean subjects 1856; Retribution, an allegory of the Indian insurrection for Leeds Town Hall 1858; church and institutional murals 1860s; settled in St John’s Wood 1850s; elected ARA 1867, RA 1872; an amateur entomologist and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society; died 24 May 1896, at Tunbridge Wells. More on Edward Armitage

Fifty years after Saint Theodore’s martyrdom, Emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363), devised a plan to corrupt the Christians during the first week of Great Lent. He knew that Christians purify themselves through fasting, especially during this week. Therefore, he ordered the Polemarch (military leader) of Constantinople to go secretly and sprinkle all the food in the marketplace with the blood of animals which had been offered in sacrifice to idols. 

The miracle of Saint Theodore and the boiled wheat

Saint Theodore appeared to Archbishop Eudoxios in a dream, telling him to assemble all the Christians on Monday morning and tell them that they must not buy any food from the marketplace; instead they were to boil some kollyva and to eat it with some honey during that week. The hierarch asked Saint Theodore what he meant by kollyva. He replied, “Kollyva is what we call boiled wheat in Euchaita.” Thus the scheme of the idol-worshipping emperor was thwarted and the pious people were preserved undefiled during Clean Week.

Saint Theodore

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06 Works, Today, February 7th, is Saint Theodore Stratilat's Day, With Footnotes - 38

Great martyr Theodore Stratelates “the General”

Theodore Stratelates, also known as Theodore of Heraclea, is a martyr and Warrior Saint venerated with the title Great-martyr in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Catholic and Roman Catholic Churches and Oriental Orthodox Churches .

Manuel Panselinos

Theodore Stratilat and Theodore Tyron, between 1290 and 1310

Fresco

Manuel Panselinos or Panselenos was a Byzantine painter, from Saloniki,  of the late thirteenth and early fourteenth century, one of the most important late Byzantine artists , and one of the main creators of the religious iconography of Eastern Christianity . It is considered the summit of the Macedonian school , sometimes called the school of Panselinos (1290-1320). 

The first mention of his name is in an 18th-century manual of painters by Dionysius of Fourna, who does not provide his dates or mention specific works. It is unclear to this day whether there was actually a painter by this name, since contemporary sources do not mention him. More on Manuel Panselinos or Panselenos

Saints Theodore Tyron and Theodore Stratilates

Fresco

Kremikocvtsi Monastery, near Sofia, Bulgaria

There is much confusion between him and St. Theodore of Amasea, Tyro, and they were in fact probably the same person, whose legends later diverged into two separate traditions.

Saint Theodore is preparing to kill the dragon

The dragon in western symbolism represents evil

Theodore came from the city of Euchaita in Asia Minor. He killed a giant serpent living on a precipice in the outskirts of Euchaita. The serpent had terrored the countryside. According to some of the legends, because of his bravery, Theodore was appointed military-commander (stratelates) in the city of Heraclea Pontica, during the time the emperor Licinius (307–324) began a fierce persecution of Christians. 

Theodore Stratelates “the General”

Theodore himself invited Licinius to Heraclea, having promised to offer a sacrifice to the pagan gods. He requested that all the gold and silver statues of the gods which they had in Heraclea be gathered up at his house. Theodore then smashed them into pieces which he then distributed to the poor.

Theodore was arrested and subjected to torture and crucified. In the morning the imperial soldiers found him alive and unharmed. The torturers, in order to reprimand his purity, tied him up and laid him on the same bed with the harlot. Excited by her shameless kissing, he extinguished the fire of passion by biting his tongue. Not wanting to flee a martyr's death, Theodore voluntarily gave himself over again into the hands of Licinius, and was beheaded by the sword. More on Theodore Stratelates

Protodeacon Paul Drozdowski

 Theodore Tyro (the Recruit) of Amasea

Protodeacon Paul Drozdowski. A lifelong artist, Drozdowski formally studied drawing, painting, printmaking, and design at Tyler School of Art, Temple University, earning a Bachelor’s degree of Fine Arts. Subsequently, Fr. Paul spent a year and a half studying at Holy Trinity Theological Seminary in Jordanville, New York. During that time, he simultaneously worked under the tutelage of master iconographer Fr. Andrei Erastov, and began fulfilling monastery orders almost immediately. Thus he was able to synthesize his artistic studies.


Since then, Fr. Paul has fulfilled many commissions for both churches and individuals, and his work can be seen coast to coast. More on Protodeacon Paul Drozdowski

Please visit my other blogs: Art Collector, Mythology, Marine Art, Portrait of a Lady, The Orientalist, Art of the Nude and The Canals of Venice, Middle East Artists, and visit my Boards on Pinterest

Images are copyright of their respective owners, assignees or others. Some Images may be subject to copyright

I don't own any of these images - credit is always given when due unless it is unknown to me. if I post your images without your permission, please tell me.

I do not sell art, art prints, framed posters or reproductions. Ads are shown only to compensate the hosting expenses.

If you enjoyed this post, please share with friends and family.

Thank you for visiting my blog and also for liking its posts and pages.

Please note that the content of this post primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online.