Theodore of Amasea
| Saint Theodore of Amasea | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Martyr | |
| Born | unknown Euchaita (?) or Alasium, Turkey [1] |
| Died | 17 February 306 Amasea, Turkey |
| Feast |
Roman Catholic Church: 9 November Orthodox Church: 17 February and the first Saturday in Great Lent; Korčula: 27 July |
| Attributes | Dressed as a soldier sometimes in court dress, with emblems such as a spear, temple, torch, dragon, pyre, martyr's wreath |
| Patronage | Brindisi, recovery of lost articles [2], against storms, soldiers [3] |
Saint Theodore of Amasea (Greek: Θεόδωρος) is one of the two saints called Theodore, who are venerated as Warrior Saints and Great Martyrs in the Eastern Orthodox Church. He is also known as Theodore Tyron (or Tyro or Tiron or Tiro or Teron). The other saint of the same name is Theodore Stratelates, also known as Theodore of Heraclea, but this second St Theodore may never have had a separate existence. When the epithet is omitted, the reference is usually to St Theodore of Amasea.
"Tiro" is a word from classical Latin meaning a "recently enlisted soldier or recruit". The Latin word was transliterated into Greek with various spellings (Τύρων, Τίρων, Τήρων or Τείρων).
Nothing reliable is known about St Theodore except that he was martyred in the early 4th century (306 is the date quoted for Theodore of Amasea, but 319 for Theodore Stratelates). The stories told about his life and martyrdom are all matters of myth and legend.
The legends of Theodore of Amasea recount that he was a recruit serving in the Roman army at Amasea, which is the modern Amasya in Northern Turkey, about 30 miles (48 km) south of the Black Sea coast at Sinope and Samsun. (Another version says that he was not a recruit but was called "Tyro" because he served in the Cohors Tyronum When he refused to join his fellow soldiers in pagan rites of worship, he was arrested, but then (perhaps on account of his youth) set free after a warning. However, he again protested paganism by setting fire to the temple of Cybele (the local mother-goddess) at Amasea. He was then condemned to death and, after tortures, was executed by being thrown into a furnace.
His remains were said to have been obtained by a woman from Eusebia and interred at Euchaita, where he had been born. This was a Byzantine city which no longer exists but is thought to correspond to the modern Avkhat, which is about 30 miles from Amasea. A shrine was erected there, which became an important place of pilgrimage.
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