The Holy Martyress Theodotia
Commemorated on September 17
The Holy Martyress
Theodotia, a native of Cappadocia, suffered in the city of Nicea during the
reign of the emperor Alexander Severus (222-235). At this time the governor of
Cappadocia was a certain fellow named Symblicius. They reported to him, that a
rich woman named Theodotia was confessing Christ. The governor summoned
Theodotia and for a long time urged her to recant from the true faith. Seeing
the uselessness of his attempts, he gave Theodotia over to torture: they
suspended her and began to tear at her with iron hooks, but she as it were did
not sense any suffering. Then they put her in chains and led her away to a
prison cell. After 8 days, when they led the saint out for new tortures, there
remained on her on faint traces of the tortures already endured. The governor
was amazed and asked her: "Who art thou?" The saint answered:
"Thine mind is darkened, but if thou were sober, thou would then have
recognised, that I am Theodotia". Symblicius commanded the martyress to be
cast into a red-hot furnace. Flames shot out from the furnace and scorched
those standing nearby, while those remaining unharmed shut the furnace and
scattered in fright. After a certain while pagan priests came and opened the
furnace so as to scatter the ashes of the martyress, but they too were burned
by the flames; those remaining unhurt saw Saint Theodotia unharmed: she stood
amidst the flames betwixt two youths in white raiment and was glorifying the
Lord. This apparition so terrified the pagans, that they fell down as though
dead. Later they again returned the saint to prison.
The invincibility of
the martyress gave Symblicius no peace. Having made a journey to Byzantium, on
the return trip he stopped over at Ancyra and tried to get the better of
Theodotia. He gave orders to throw her all at once onto red-hot iron, but again
the martyress remained unharmed. Then Symblicius gave orders that the saint be
taken to Nicea. There, in a pagan temple he wanted by force to compel her to
offer sacrifice to the idols, but through the prayer of the saint the idols
fell and were shattered. The governor in a rage gave orders to stretch the
martyress and saw her through, but here also the power of God preserved the
saint: the saw caused Theodotia no harm, and the servants became exhausted.
Finally, they beheaded the saint. The bishop of Nicea Sophronios buried her
body.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.