21 Facts About Theodore Tiron

Saint Theodore, distinguished as Theodore of Amasea, Theodore the Recruit, and by other names, is a Christian saint and Great Martyr, particularly revered in the Eastern Orthodox Churches but honored in Roman Catholicism and Oriental Orthodoxy.

Theodore Tiron is the English form of the Latin masculine given name from Ancient Greek Theodoros from Theos + doron.

Theodore Tiron was eventually distinguished from other saints named Theodore as Theodore the Recruit, Theodore the Tyro, or Theodore the Soldier.

The epithets are not generally needed, as Theodore Tiron is generally the intendend saint when the name "St Theodore" is used without other clarification.

The basic legend recounts that Theodore Tiron's cohort was sent to Pontus for winter quarters.

Theodore Tiron then burned the city's temple of Magna Mater, whereupon he was again arrested, tortured, and martyred by immolation.

Theodore Tiron's relics were later carried to Euchaita, possibly his birthplace, by the Christian empress Eusebia sometime before her death in 360.

Theodore Tiron is reported as having destroyed a dragon near Euchaita in a legend not younger than the late 9th century.

Theodore Tiron Stratelates had a shrine at Euchaneia, but was said to have originally been from Euchaita.

Delehaye wrote in 1909 that the existence of the second Theodore Tiron had not been historically established, and Walter in 2003 wrote that "the Stratelates is surely a fiction".

The veneration of St Theodore Tiron is attested by the late 4th century, when Gregory of Nyssa preached an encomium or homily in his honor at his sanctuary in the winter of 381.

Theodore Tiron's cult spread rapidly and he became highly popular.

St Theodore Tiron became especially important in the Eastern Orthodox Church, where his cult spread widely.

Theodore Tiron was one of the important military saints of Byzantium and eventually had 15 churches in his honor in Constantinople.

Theodore Tiron was widely venerated in Asia Minor, Syria, and Palestine and there are churches dedicated to him in Jerusalem and Damascus.

Theodore Tiron was adopted as a military saint by the crusaders.

In Western Europe, Theodore Tiron was the patron saint of Venice during its period under Byzantine hegemony and the doge's chapel was dedicated to him until the 9th century, when Venice largely replaced him with St Mark as a sign of its growing independence.

Theodore Tiron's body was said to have been transferred to Brindisi in the 12th century, after which he was honored as that city's patron.

St Theodore Tiron appeared in a dream to the Archbishop of Constantinople, Eudoxius, ordering him to inform all the Christians that no one should buy anything at the market, but rather to boil the wheat they had at home and eat it sweetened with honey.

St Theodore Tiron was the patron saint of Venice before the relics of Saint Mark were brought to the city in 828.

When this was enlarged and rebuilt in the late 11th century, the chapel of St Theodore Tiron disappeared in the rebuilding.